Clandestine
by oh.industria
Summary: AU. Which is more powerful, love or lust? Neji must figure this out quickly if he could ever hope to decide between his closest friend and a dangerous thief who may or may not be a demon. Kiba/Neji & Shikamaru/Neji
1. Chapter I

i don't own naruto.

an: yes, i know i'm the last person who should be posting a new story... but this plot idea wouldn't leave me alone. this fic will be roughly around 7 chapters in total. and because i'm actually setting deadlines for myself... the whole fic should be finished by february, at the latest.

enjoy. :D

warnings: yaoi, violence, some hints of s&m, **character death**.

* * *

**Clandestine**

Chapter I

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* * *

**  
**- o -**

"-My last suitor, honestly, he was disgusting. Twice your age and size, and he wanted six hundred gold pieces for my dowry. Is that not preposterous?"

"Mm." Neji agreed flatly, looking out into the distance. It was a lovely spring day, the air crisp and the sky a deep blue color. Songbirds warbled sweet tunes to each other from the branches of trees, creating a melodious soundtrack for the couple as they walked along the stone path.

"I mean, how could he even _think_ that was acceptable? Why would he want so much gold? Surely my beauty is reason enough." Ino scoffed as she linked her arm with the Hyuuga's. "Not to mention the fact that _he_ was hideous beyond all belief. He looked like some kind of demon."

"The grounds are beautiful." Neji commented offhandedly, not even trying to disguise the fact that he had been ignoring the girl for the last twenty minutes.

However, the grounds were indeed beautiful. If there was anything good that Neji could say about the Yamanaka family, it was their gardeners. Their castle was surrounded by a vast garden that contained nearly every flower known to man. There were bright splashes of color everywhere Neji looked. A large, elaborate stone fountain sat in the center of the garden. The sound of trickling water added to the peaceful, serene environment.

Ino turned her clear blue eyes one him. "Are you listening to me?"

"No." Neji replied honestly, watching a blue butterfly waft elegantly past his nose.

Ino scoffed, tossing her long, golden braid over her shoulder. "I did not think you were. You are lucky you are so handsome, Prince Neji. Otherwise, our marriage would be very unpleasant."

"Are you that certain we will be married?" The two of them neared the fountain. Neji gently guided her to the left of the grand structure, so that he was on the outside of the path.

"Of course." Ino said confidently. "You are attractive and your family isn't cheap. Why would I not marry you?"

"Because I do not love you." Neji told her neutrally, looking up at the fluffy white clouds in the sky.

Ino laughed. "As if that _matters_. All I have to do is tell daddy that I am madly in love with you. Daddy doesn't like seeing me upset, so he will then pressure King Hiashi to arrange a union between us right away. We will be wed and live in a grand castle and I will become Queen and bear you lots of children." She finished confidently, a determined look in her eyes.

"I see." Neji said.

Then he pushed her into the fountain.

* * *

**- o -**

"I am sorry that you must depart after just arriving here," Lord Yamanaka started, placing a heavy hand on Neji's shoulder. "But my daughter was quite adamant about seeing you go."

"It is no problem at all." Neji responded, trying his best to sound serious. "I was feeling particularly homesick, anyway."

"Please give your father my regards." Lord Yamanaka bowed shortly, and Neji did the same. The young Hyuuga was then helped up into the carriage by two of his personal guards. The doors were soundly shut and the driver whipped the reins, signaling for the horses to start moving.

And thus, Neji's visit to the Yamanaka Manor came to an abrupt end, only twenty-four hours after it had began. The manor was fairly close to the Hyuuga Palace, inasmuch as it only took around seven hours to get there by carriage. It was roughly around noontime, so, Neji figured that he would be home in time for dinner. _Wonderful_, he thought happily, eager to get as far away from Princess Ino as possible.

It wasn't that he disliked the girl, per say. Princess Ino was beautiful, and rich, and even though she was bossy and talked way too much, she still had the proper upbringing of a princess, and would make a fine wife and Queen (once she grew up a bit). However, she just didn't interest Neji. None of the girls he had been set up with did. They were all too soft, too sensitive, too delicate for his tastes. He didn't want that. He wanted someone who he could fight with, and someone who could give just as well as they got.

He wasn't interested in being the 'Noble Prince' that many girls had envisioned him to be. He had no desire to 'rescue' them from whatever unfairnesses they faced.

He had never met a Princess, let alone a girl, that he hadn't wanted to be just friends with. Ino was the seventh girl he had been sent to woo, and, like all of the others, the attempt failed. Sooner or later, Neji would have to tell his father that he was simply not interested in being married, and that he would just have to rule the kingdom alone, when the time came.

On the journey back, Neji slept for the first three hours, stretched out on one of the padded benches and forcing three of the guards to sit on the floor. After he woke up, the guards pulled down the fold-up table and they played cards for another two hours. When Neji became bored with the games, he pulled out a book from his luggage and engrossed himself in it.

The sun was slowly sinking in the sky when Neji caught his first glimpse of one the highest towers of the castle. The brunet signed in relief at the thought of being home and out of the lovely, but still cramped, carriage. He couldn't wait to see his family and the rest of his father's court again. Not that the guards weren't decent company- but sometimes they got on his nerves.

"Do you mind?" He asked crossly when the guard to his left attempted to read over his shoulder for the third time.

"Sorry." The guard, Kotetsu, said sheepishly.

Neji was about to start reading again when the carriage abruptly jolted to a halt. Neji looked up sharply, and his frown deepened when, after a few seconds, they failed to move forward. The guards looked at each confusedly.

Neji closed his book and handed it to Kotetsu. He got up and leaned over to the window behind the bench opposite of him, pushing the other three guards out of the way. He slid the window open and stuck his head out of it. "Why have we stopped?" He asked the old driver.

"The horses refuse to go any further." Onoki told him, turning around to address his prince properly. "I think they are… scared."

"Of what? We are nearly there; there is nothing to be afraid of." Neji responded with a frown.

Onoki shrugged, cracking his whip at the horses again and again. Although the horses whined, they didn't move an inch.

Neji pulled himself back inside of the carriage. He crossed over to the door and pulled up the latch, then pushed it open. He leaned out of it, looking towards the horses to see if he could spot what the disturbance was.

The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary was a thick fog that obscured most of the road ahead of them. There was an almost eerie stillness in the areas around him, something that Neji had never felt in any of the lands surrounding the castle. However, that alone shouldn't have had any bearing on the horses, who had been trained to travel through any weather. There had to have been something else.

"My Lord… maybe you shouldn't…"

Neji ignored the guard and hopped down from the carriage. His ivory eyes narrowed as he looked around. "There is nothing out here." He said aloud, running a hand through his hair. He turned around to look behind him.

Suddenly, the breath was knocked from his chest as he was tackled to the ground. His ivory eyes widened as he looked up into the muzzle of the largest, most ferocious wolf he had ever seen in his life.

_My God_…

He heard a shout as one of the guards attempt to rush toward the beast, but was pulled back by the others, for fear of scaring the animal and making it harm the Prince.

Neji tried to struggle, but the beast had him pinned down. The wolf snarled at him, heavy paws pressing into his shoulders. It reared back, razor sharp teeth look ten times as menacing up close, then lunged straight for the Hyuuga's throat. Helpless, Neji was unable to do anything but clench his eyes shut.

Sharp teeth clamped around the chain of the silver medallion Neji wore and _pulled_, ripping the jewelry out from under his clothes and right off of his neck.

Neji jerked back with a gasp, locking eyes with the large grey wolf that now had his medallion clenched tightly in its mouth. The beast growled savagely at him, yellow eyes narrowing. Drool slid out from between its clenched teeth and onto Neji's clothes.

All of a sudden, its grey ears perked up at some unheard sound. Quickly, as if it had forgotten all about Neji, the wolf leapt off of the prince and bounded off into the woods, Neji's medallion still clamped between it's teeth.

Neji remained prostrate on the ground, blinking up at the darkening sky. _What just happened...?_

"My lord! Are you alright?" Two of the guards leapt down from the carriage and lifted him back up. Neji yanked himself away from them as everything finally sunk in.

"We have to go after it!" He said frantically, lunging towards the direction the wolf had went in. The guards grabbed him by the arm, pulling him back towards the carriage.

"Prince Neji… we can't just chase after that wolf."

"You do not understand! I need that medallion!" Neji struggled, grasping at the place on his chest where it would have lain. "We have to get it back!"

"How? The animal is long gone, your highness. There is no way the horses will go after it." The second guard reasoned, slightly out of breath from trying to contain the fighting Hyuuga. "We have no nets and no traps. Capturing it would be impossible."

"But…" Neji's struggling slowed as he realized the truth in what the guard was saying. They weren't prepared to go after a large, possibly rabid wolf with only five minimally armed guards and a trio of horses who were apparently deeply afraid of said wolf. No matter how badly Neji wanted to retrieve his jewelry, doing so now would have been illogical.

The young prince stilled, his gaze becoming more and more melancholy as he stared into the woods. The medallion had been a gift to Neji from his mother. She had given it to him when he was about five years old, two years before she died. It was about the size of a compass, sterling silver with diamonds encrusted around the circumference. His initials were engraved in the middle. It was the only thing he had to remember her by, and therefor, it was his most prized possession.

"Hey…" Kotetsu had gotten out of the carriage as well, and was now placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We can send out some guards to look for it tomorrow, okay? But it will be night soon, and there is no way we can search for it in the dark."

"…Okay." Neji said softy, allowing Kotetsu to pull him back to the carriage.

* * *

**- o -**

"So," Hiashi sighed as soon as Neji reached the center of the throne room. "What happened this time?"

Neji stood in front of his father and stepmother, about halfway down the luxurious red carpet that stretched from the doors to the throne. The rest of the journey to the castle had passed without any sort of incident. Neji had spent the remainder of the journey pulling twigs out of his hair and brushing dirt off of his clothing. Hopefully, no one would notice that anything was amiss.

"She tripped into a fountain, and then blamed it on me." Neji said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Honestly, father, how can I be expected to marry a girl who is so clumsy she cannot even walk in her own gardens without stumbling?"

"I do not know, Neji." Hiashi said heavily, resting his hand on his chin. "I think that maybe you should-" He cut himself off with a deep, frame-wracking burst of coughs that seemed to come from the pit of his chest.

Neji stood motionless, waiting for his father to get over his coughing fit. These random attacks had been happening more and more frequently in the last year. A servant exited the room and returned three seconds later with a large brass cup filled with water. King Hiashi accepted it with some difficultly and drank heavily from it.

He wiped his mouth and turned back to his son when the coughs subsided. "The doctor came to see me after you left yesterday." He told his son hoarsely. "He says that I do not have much longer."

Neji took a step forward. Everyone in the castle knew that the king was becoming increasingly ill as the months went on, so this was no surprise to him. He loved his father dearly, but had resigned himself to the fact that his death was approaching long ago, as a good future ruler should. "Father…"

"That is why it is imperative that you find someone to marry." King Hiashi continued. "There are many people around here who will not hesitate to try and take your place on the throne."

"I understand, father. I will do my best to find a suitable wife." For the first time since he was a child, Neji actually felt bad about lying. He knew that when his father died, everyone would attempt to try and discredit his legitimacy to rule, and being an unmarried king would only make it easier for them to do so. Still, he could not seem to put aside his own feelings of dislike for the sake of his kingdom. "May I go change now?"

His father studied him briefly, then raised his hand to dismiss him. However, Queen Hitomiko stopped him.

"Neji," She spoke, observing him with a critical eye. "Come closer."

Neji instantly obeyed her command, walking down the long red carpet to the thrones, then up the three steps to stand in front of his stepmother.

Hitomiko was Hiashi's second wife, and the mother of Neji's two sisters, Hinata and Hanabi. When his father had first remarried, six months after Neji's mother died, Neji had often clashed with the new Queen. He had been reluctant to accept a new mother figure in his life, and she had been unwilling to devote her time to try to get to know him. However, as the years went by, their relationship became less antagonistic and had settled into a reluctant acquaintanceship, if only for the sake of Hiashi.

"Where is your medallion?" She asked softly.

_Shit. _Neji had been hoping that no one would notice. He should have factored in his stepmother's keen attention to detail. Although someone was bound to notice eventually, seeing as the young prince never went anywhere without it.

"It was stolen." Neji responded quietly, hoping that he could just leave it at that. Unfortunately, it seemed as if everything was going wrong today.

"_Stolen_?" Hiashi interjected. "You had five knights around you for the entire trip. How could it have possibly gotten stolen?"

"I am… not sure, father."

"Well then, would you care to explain how it happened?" King Hiashi said, leaning forward.

"If I may, your majesty." One of the guards stepped forward, bowing shortly. "It was the strangest thing I have ever seen. About two hundred meters away from the castle, the horses jolted to a halt. Onoki tried to make them go, but to no avail. Prince Neji then opened the carriage door to see what was going on."

Neji scowled. He knew he would never hear the end of it for putting himself in danger by opening the door.

The guard shot him an apologetic look, then continued.

"All of a sudden, a large grey wolf came out from beneath the carriage and tackled the prince to the ground. It tore his medallion right off of his neck, then took off into the woods."

Hiashi and Hitomiko exchanged a look. "Thank you, Izumo. You may go."

Izumo bowed, then turned around and walked toward the exit. Neji closed his eyes. As soon as the door to the throne room creaked shut, it started.

"WHAT WERE YOU _THINKING_? WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU OPEN THE DOOR IN THE FIRST PLACE? YOU ARE _NEVER_ TO LEAVE THE CARRIAGE, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES-"

Neji stood still and listened to his father's tirade for a good twenty minutes. He knew that Hiashi cared deeply for him, but at times he really overdid it in terms of parenting. Neji was 19 years old, after all. He didn't deserve to be scolded like a child.

At last, Hiashi seemed to have yelled himself out. He took a deep breath and pushed his crown back up on his head. Hitomiko patted his back comfortingly, shooting Neji a glare.

"You know better than to make your father worry."

"I am sorry." Neji said as remorsefully as he could, his hands clasped together in front of him. "It was not my intention."

"Hmph. Fine." Hitomiko sniffed, eyeing him warily. "You are dismissed. And I should not even be telling you this, but there is a surprise for you waiting in the library."

Neji looked at her curiously. "What sort of surprise?"

Hitomiko just waved him off and went back to comforting his father. Neji frowned, but bowed shortly and exited the throne room.

* * *

**- o -**

After changing from his traveling clothes, Neji made his way over to the library, curious as to what his surprise was. He found it in the form of slumbering young man sprawled across a plush maroon settee, an open book resting on his face.

Neji leaned forward and picked up the book, then smiled in delight when he saw the face it had been obscuring.

"Shikamaru!"

Said male was jolted awake by the long-haired prince wrapping his arms tightly around his midsection. Shikamaru blinked sleepily before looking downward, a slow smile spreading across his lips as he spotted the glossy dark hair piled on his chest.

"Hello, Neji."

Shikamaru Nara was the son of Shikaku Nara, a nobleman who owned quite a bit of land throughout the country. Hiashi and Shikaku were very good friends, so the Nara family had spent quite a bit of time at the castle while Neji was growing up. The two boys were practically inseparable whenever the Nara family visited.

Seeing Shikamaru was enough to make Neji forget all about Princess Ino, or the wolf incident. The two embraced for a little while longer, before Neji pulled back, settling onto his knees on the carpet. "It is so good to see you, my friend. But how did you know I was going to be home this afternoon? I was not due back for another two days."

If anyone were to walk in now they would think it was odd that the Prince was on the ground, looking up at Shikamaru, instead of the other way around, as it was customary for a member of the royal family to always be above their subjects. However, Neji was so comfortable with the other male that it had been years since they had adhered to that rule.

Shikamaru gave him a pointed look as he sat up. "You think I do not know how Princess Ino is? To be honest, I am surprised you managed to last as long as you did."

Neji laughed good-naturedly, unable to keep his mirth from spreading to his face. Only now was he realizing how much he had missed his younger friend. As the son of a nobleman, Shikamaru did have to do a great deal of traveling. His father's land was spread out in a good number of kingdoms. If Neji had to guess, he would say that it had been at least eight months since he had last seen Shikamaru. Although they frequently kept in touch by writing letters, it wasn't the same thing as being right in front of each other.

"Why has your family come to visit? Is it business or pleasure?" The young prince asked, smiling up at the other male.

"A little bit of both, I would say." Shikamaru stretched, causing his plain black shirt to ride up. "I will tell you about it later."

Neji took a brief moment to appreciate how much the other boy had grown since the last time he saw him. The other male's shoulders were broader, his arms slightly more muscled, and it looked as if he had finally caught up to Neji in terms of height. His hair was still in his customary ponytail, however, and his face still held that look of perpetual boredom that was always present, although it was somewhat lessened now that he was in Neji's presence.

Neji crossed his arms. "I wish to know _now_. Tell me, please."

Shikamaru grinned at him. "Has no one ever taught you that princes do not beg?"

"Would you prefer I _commanded_ you instead?" Neji countered, feeling his lips tug upwards. It felt good to banter with his friend again.

"I would _prefer_ it if you would wait until dinner and find out with everyone else."

Neji frowned, sitting back on his heels. Seconds later, his face lit up as something occurred to him. "Wait! I know why you are here… you are of age to marry now, right?"

Something unreadable flashed across Shikamaru's face. The younger boy hesitated, then spoke. "Yes… that is part of the reason."

"And you wished to come to Konoha, so you can chose a bride! Is that it?"

Shikamaru looked off to the side. "Something like that." He said neutrally.

Neji smiled triumphantly. "I knew it! You are not the only genius around here, Shikamaru."

"I never claimed I was." Shikamaru responded. He got down from the settee he had been on and took a seat on the floor across from Neji. Deciding to change the subject, the Hyuuga reached over and picked up the book that had been resting on the other boy.

"Is this another one of your 'science' books?"

"Maybe."

"Hm." Neji flipped through the pages of the book. "Is there anything in here about wolves?"

"Why?"

His previous smile gone, Neji explained to the other boy what had happened on his journey back to the castle. "-The wolf lunged forward and grabbed my medallion with it's teeth. Then it just turned around and left." He finished. "The horses were fine after that. The guards helped me into the carriage and we went back to the castle… what?" He asked, noticing the concerned expression the other male had on his face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Did it hurt you?" Shikamaru asked seriously, his dark eyes narrowing.

"No, I do not think so."

"Let me see." The Nara said sternly.

Neji blinked. "… all right."

He gathered up his hair and held it up and away from his neck. Shikamaru uncrossed his legs and kneeled in front of him. He placed two fingers under Neji's chin and tilted his head up, leaning in to study the other male's neck intently.

Neji's breath hitched when he felt the the other male's slightly calloused fingertips trace a line down the hollow of his throat and across his collarbone. He could feel the younger male's warm breath wafting across his neck, making it difficult for him to keep his gaze straight ahead.

Finally, appearing satisfied with Neji's appearance, Shikamaru sat back. The tension fizzled out quickly, as if it were never there in the first place. "Was the medallion inside or outside of your clothes?"

Neji let go of his hair, trying to remember. "It was… inside. I remember I tucked it under my surcoat because it got in the way of my reading."

"You do not think it is odd, that the wolf would automatically go after you? It could have attacked the driver, who was already outside of the carriage."

"Yes…" Now that Shikamaru mentioned it, it did seem strange. "Do you think that it was trained to target me, specifically?"

"Not just you. I am sure anyone who was carrying anything of value would have had the same experience." Shikamaru responded, looked troubled. "But I do not think this was a trained animal."

"Then what was it?"

Shikamaru took a deep breath. "I had thought that they were only rumors, but if it happened to you…"

"What rumors?"

"People have been reporting similar assaults in some of the neighboring kingdoms. They say that a thick fog will creep over the road, and their horses will refuse to go any further. Then the same thing that you experienced will happen. The wolf always seems to know who in the party has the most money or jewels. Peasants and farmers have not been targeted."

The Hyuuga frowned. That did make sense; he was the only one in their party who had been wearing anything of worth. "But I do not understand. There is no reason for an animal to want gold or jewels."

"It is not an animal." Shikamaru responded stonily. "It is a demon."

Neji stared at Shikamaru for a long second, then burst out laughing. "You can _not_ be serious." He said through his chuckles. "A _demon_? Really?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "It is what I have heard. No one has ever seen his human form, but it is said that by day, he passes for an ordinary traveler."

Suddenly the whole thing seemed very ridiculous to Neji. He laughed harder, collapsing onto his back with his hand over his stomach. "That is just superstition, Shikamaru. Demons do not exist, and_ you_ of all people should know that, what with your constant talk about _science_."

"Still-"

Neji cut him off, still chuckling on the ground. "I was reading too much into it. It was probably just a runaway circus animal, who saw something shiny around my neck and decided to take it."

He sat up, wiping a tear from his eye. "Wolf demon, indeed. If he were, why did he not take my soul or something equally as ghastly?"

"How would I know the motives of a demon?" The younger male commented dryly, rubbing the back of his neck. "And I am not saying that I do believe they exist- I just think you should have been more careful."

Shikamaru stood up and dusted himself off. "I have to get dressed for dinner, and you should do the same. I will see you in a little while."

Neji watched the other male walk out of the library, the smile slowly fading from his face. Shikamaru seemed almost… _upset_ with him. _Perhaps I should not have laughed at him like that. _He thought, picking himself off of the ground.

But honestly, the thought of being robbed by a wolf demon was completely preposterous. There had to have been a perfectly reasonable explanation for it. Being distracted by fairy tales was counter-productive, and took away from the truth. If people started believing that it was an actual demon instead of just a trained wolf, they would be too afraid to try and hunt it down, which meant that the robberies would continue.

Demons did not exist, and Neji was going to prove it.

By getting his medallion back.

* * *

**- o -**

Dinner was a festive affair, and Neji did his best to look as if he were enjoying it. He sat between his sisters, who were delighted to have him back so soon. He recounted the carriage incident to Hanabi, making it even more thrilling for her enjoyment, and then described Princess Ino's dress in great detail for Hinata, who greatly admired the other girl for some odd reason.

News had traveled quickly about Neji's attack. Neji heard several of the dinner guests mention the ordeal, shooting sympathetic glances towards the young prince. Neji rolled his eyes whenever he heard the word 'demon'.

There were plenty of other guests at the table in the Great Hall, as there were every night, but for some reason Neji felt Shikamaru's eyes on him for the duration of the meal. The third time he caught the other boy staring, he gave him an apologetic smile as penance for laughing at him earlier. Shikamaru returned it with a lazy grin of his own, before he was swept up into a conversation with one of his father's friends.

Eventually, the dinner plates were cleared away and desert was set on the table. King Hiashi cleared his throat as a servant rang a bell next to him to get everyone's attention. He stood up when everyone quieted down.

"As soon of you may already know, a member of the royal family was attacked and robbed on his way back to the castle this afternoon."

Neji groaned and sunk down in his seat. _It is not that big a deal. _

"Because of this, we will be increasing security in the areas surrounding the palace. Guards will be stationed both outside of the walls, as well as within the bailey. From now on, I encourage you to not travel when there is fog, or after nightfall. If travel during these times is absolutely necessary, I will assign three armed guards to go with you. Is this clear to everyone?"

The guests murmured their assent. King Hiashi nodded in approval. "Good. I now invite you to turn your attention to Shikamaru Nara. Young Nara, I believe that you had an announcement to make?"

Shikamaru briefly wiped his mouth with his napkin, before standing up and and bowing to the King. He then addressed the rest of the table. "I did. However, I think I will put off said announcement for one more day. I believe that the royal family has already had enough excitement for today."

Neji scowled. "You are doing this on purpose, aren't you?" He muttered under his breath.

The younger male continued. "I would, however, like to make a toast to the health of the King and his family. If you all would…"

Everyone seated at the table raised their glasses. Shikamaru grasped his on and held it up as well. "To the Hyuuga family. Long live the King and Queen!"

"Long live the King and Queen!" The group chorused, then took long swigs from their glasses.

After dinner, Shikamaru had invited him on a long walk around the castle, but Neji had declined, saying that he was too tired. He bid goodnight to everyone, then retired to his chambers.

He waited for a full four hours before he started to get ready for his journey, giving everyone in the castle ample time to fall asleep. When the castle was quiet, save for the soft jingling of chain mail as the guards went about their rounds, Neji pulled himself out of bed and began getting ready as silently as he could. He changed into a dark tunic, breeches, and boots. He tied his hair up into a high ponytail. As he dressed, he went over his plan to get his medallion back in his mind.

It would be fairly easy. All Neji had to do was find the wolf's den, and take his medallion back. He had spent enough time with visiting circus tamers to know that all animals could be subdued one way or another. He had stolen a large steak from the kitchens earlier, and was planning on using it to entice the beast into returning his item. And if that didn't work, he would simple kill it. had been hunting since he was a child, and he had taken down things much larger than wolves.

After changing, he grabbed a key hidden in the bottom drawer of his bedside table, then crouched down by the side of the bed. Reaching underneath it, he groped around for a little while before his fingers closed around the handle of a heavy trunk. With some effort, he carefully pulled it out front under his bed, then unlocked it with the key.

Inside the trunks was a variety of weapons. Everything from small daggers to axes to a large, gold encrusted sword that he had secretly commissioned from a blacksmith who lived in town. He tucked two daggers into each of his boots, then slid a medium sized axe and an iron crow bar into a slot on his belt.

He carefully exited his room, making sure to shut the door quietly behind him. Moving as silently as he could, he made his way down the corridor, took a left, and walked down another hallway before arriving at a staircase. He went down two flights of stairs, to the fourth floor, and then went down another hallway before he came to a darkened window nook that faced the back of the castle. He carefully pushed open the window, then tightly secured the rope ladder to the edge. He scurried down the rope quickly, jumped down the last six feet, the ducked and rolled into a bush just as two guards came around the corner of the castle.

Keeping low to the ground, he crept through the bushes around the perimeter of the castle until he got to the opposite side. He felt along the wall until he found one large stone, about the size of a carriage wheel, that jutted out slightly more than the others. Neji sat back with a slight smile, pulling the crowbar from his belt and using it to pry the stone away from the wall. After pulling it back far enough for him to slip through the hole, he stashed the crowbar into the bushes behind him and swiftly exited the bailey.

He stood up and stretched, finally allowing himself to inhale the clean, night air. This was not the first time Neji had snuck out- far from it, in fact. Noble life could be exceptionally boring, especially since he wasn't allowed outside the castle walls without at least two guards of his father's choosing. Technically, he could go wherever he wanted, but if he even so much as looked at a tavern or a smithy, his father would know, and scold him about as soon as Neji returned to the castle.

Neji kept his guard up and moved quickly, knowing that there was still a chance he could be caught. He kept to the side of the road, keeping his eye trained on the ground. He knew he would recognize the place where he had been attacked by the signs of the skirmish in an otherwise smooth dirt path.

Finally, he reached the spot where the theft happened. Looking around just to make sure, he struck two flint rocks together and lit a torch. There, on the ground, he spotted the paw prints of the animal who had attacked him. His eyes widened when he realized that the prints were almost as big as his own hand; he had known that the wolf was large, but it was hard judging exactly how big it was when it was on top of him.

Taking a deep breath, he set off into the forest. It was difficult maneuvering the trees and bushes while simultaneously trying to follow the tracks. The forest became darker and denser the further he went in.

At last, the prints stopped in front of the mouth of a large cave.

Neji swallowed hard. Complete darkness was the only thing that could be seen from the outside.

_Maybe this was not such a good idea…_ his rational side told him. _You still have time to go back. Just forget about this whole thing. Your safety is worth much more than a silly piece of jewelry. _

_No,_ Neji's more impulsive side argued back. _No one has the right to steal your most prized possession from you, and especially not an animal. _

Neji stiffened. Unfortunately, he had to go with his irrational side on this one. There was no way he was going back empty handed tonight, after he had come all this way.

Holding his torch up high, Neji bravely entered the dark, damp cavern. The darkness seemed to envelop him as he walked past the entrance.

At first, Neji didn't notice anything out of place, aside from a multitude of oddly shaped rocks against the walls. He could hear what was presumably the sound of water streaming deep into the interior of the natural structure. A drop of condensation fell from the ceiling and landed on his forehead. Annoyed, he looked up as he walked, wiping it from his face. His eyes could make out the thin, furry bodies of about a dozen bats hanging from the ceiling. He wrinkled his nose but still continued forward, lowering his torch as not to awake them.

However, what Neji saw when he looked back down nearly made him drop his torch.

He had found the wolf, alright. It was slumbering against the far wall, looking far bigger than Neji remembered, its large muzzle resting on its paws and its tail swishing lazily in the air. However, that wasn't what made Neji's heart stop in his chest. In lowering his torch, Neji discovered that there were at least thirteen other wolves, not as big in size as the first one but still equally vicious looking, completely surrounding him in the narrow cavern. His medallion was nowhere to be seen.

Neji inhaled sharply, forcing down a scream. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest as he took in the sight of the sleeping beasts that encircled him. He had never imagined that wolf would have been part of a _pack_. When he left the castle, he had his first theory set firmly in his mind- that the wolf was just a stray circus animal. Now, as he started at the slumbering beasts, he desperately wished that he had spent just a little more time thinking his plan through.

He forced himself not to panic. The animals hadn't noticed him yet, so he still had a chance of surviving. All he had to do was get back out of the cave before they woke up. He carefully took a step backward, then another.

On the third step, his foot landed in a gouge that was weathered into the floor of the cave. He stumbled backward, accidentally dropping the torch in the process.

Fourteen pairs of eyes immediately snapped open, then narrowed ferociously at the young prince in the middle of the cave. Neji froze, a choked noise of fear escaping from his throat. _Oh, God…_

The largest wolf got up first. The fallen torch created eerily shadows on the wall and made the wolf's eyes glow as it stalked towards him. Neji was paralyzed with fear and the other wolves slowly got up and did the same. Their growling echoed loudly throughout the cavern.

_...Oh God…_

Neji finally forced himself to move. Making a run for it would only give the wolves an excuse to chase after to him. A short glance behind him told him that the entrance was a few meters behind him. It was close, yet the wolf were closing in quickly. He edged backward as carefully as he could as they came closer, feeling his hope fade away with every step they took.

_Neji… this is by far the most idiotic thing you have ever done._ Was the only thought that managed to penetrate the fog of fear in his mind. The largest wolf was only three feet away from him by now. Neji could smell its foul breath, could recall how it felt to be underneath its large jaw. He remembered how relieved he had been when the wolf had ran away earlier. He prayed that he could only be so lucky now.

Two feet in and closing. The entrance had to be at least a full meter away, and most likely already blocked off by the beasts. Neji's whole body was trembling, his eyes wide as his death became more and more imminent by the second.

…_Oh God Oh God Oh God…_

Suddenly, he felt a warm body press up against his back. Neji's blood went cold as he heard a husky voice speak behind him.

"Easy, boys… we're in the presence of _royalty._"

Those were the last words he heard before everything went black.


	2. Chapter II

i don't own naruto.

warning: mild graphic imagery in this chapter.

* * *

**Clandestine**

Chapter II

* * *

* * *

**- o -**

Neji's eyes opened slowly.

He found himself on the cold floor of a dark cavern, illuminated only by a small lantern resting in the corner of the opposite side of the cave. His wrists were bound tightly behind his back. His ankles were secured as well Neji tested the ropes, seeing if they had any give, but they bit into his skin. His arms ached fiercely, leading him to wonder how long he had been in this position.

Which led him to his next thought. _How did I…_ he thought, before it all came flooding back to him. The medallion. The dark cave. The wolves closing in as he backed up helplessly, before everything went black.

_My God_. He thought to himself, feeling a strange sort of awareness settle over him. He was extremely lucky to still be alive. Staring into the face of those wolves had been the most terrifying thing he had ever been through, and he had been sure that he was going to die. However, it seemed as if he had been rescued.

_But by who?_ He wondered. _And why tie me up?_

Neji's eyes widened as he heard the heavy sound of footsteps, faint at first, but they grew louder and louder. It seemed as if he was about to get his answer.

He shrank back into the shadows just as a tall figure strode into the room. He tossed a heavy-looking burlap sack on a pile of furs on the opposite end of the cave. The man was shirtless, and Neji had to fight a gasp when he saw the multitude of raised scars that decorated his arms and torso. He had messy, unkept brown hair and a fang tattoo on each cheek.

Neji bit the inside of his mouth to stop himself from gasping. _Don't speak. Pretend to be asleep. _He instructed himself, remembering what he was supposed to do if he ever found himself in a similar hunting situation. _Watch him carefully and see if you can spot a weakness. _

His plan was cut short by a low voice addressing him. "Did you have a good nap?"

Neji would have jumped if his restraints allowed movement. There was no use pretending to be asleep now. "How did you know I was awake?" He asked, his voice hoarse from disuse.

The man snorted, dropping down heavily atop the large mound of furs. "Ain't no one ever tell you that your eyes glow in the dark?"

"…No." Neji admitted, now feeling somewhat foolish. _Idiot. _

The stranger shrugged, reaching into the burlap sack as if Neji wasn't even there. The young prince's eyes widened as he pulled out a large, dead rabbit, its once white fur now matted with blood.

He watched in morbid fascination as the stranger cleanly decapitated the rabbit with a single chop. Against his will, a soft gasp escaped Neji's lips. The noise caught the stranger's attention; he looked up, a long, decadent grin stretching across his face, reveal unusually sharp canines. "Are you afraid you're going to end up like the rabbit?"

Neji remained silent. He would never admit it out loud, but he was _terrified_. He had never been in a situation like this before. Although many had tried, none of the Hyuuga children had ever been kidnapped before. Yet here he was, tied up in a cave and at the mercy of a scarred stranger with a dangerous smile. And the worst part was, the man barely had to do anything. Neji had done all of the work by coming to the cave in the first place.

The other male's eyes narrowed. "You should be." He said, not waiting for Neji to answer him. "What business does a prince have, wandering around in the forest where he doesn't belong?"

Neji closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. _Okay… you are still alive, so things are not all bad. Just stay calm, and try to figure out a way out of this. _"I had no business."

"Bullshit." The stranger then slid the knife down the center of the rabbit's body, beneath its skin. "Where are the rest of your men?"

_What?_

"I do not know what you are talking about." Neji responded evenly, glad that his voice didn't betray his inner fear. It seemed as if years of practiced lying to people's faces had come in handy in this situation.

"You expect me to believe that you were just wandering the forest by yourself in the middle of the night?" The stranger growled, quickly and efficiently skinning the rabbit. "Come on. Akamaru took your little necklace so you gathered up all of your knights and came to hunt me, isn't that right?"

"No. I- I came alone. I swear it." Neji told the stranger bravely, struggling to lift his head. Carrying on a conversation with someone while you were bound and prostrate on the floor was not the easiest feat in the world, and certainly one that Neji had not been trained for.

Suddenly, there was a loud commotion outside. Neji could hear the wolves barking from the mouth of the cave, and the sound of sharp nail clicking against the cavern floor. After a few seconds, the large wolf from earlier bounded in excitedly. Its huge figure cast a wide, dark shadow on the wall.

The stranger stood up and faced the beast, the skinned rabbit still clutched in his hand. "What?"

The wolf, (or Akamaru as it was apparently named) seemed… gentler than Neji remembered it. It looked extremely glad to be with the stranger, judging from the way it pranced happily around him. After a few seconds, the wolf finally settled down in front of the man and barked twice, scratching its paw against the hard stone floor.

The stranger crossed his arms across his chest. "Are you sure?"

The wolf barked again, his tail swishing from side to side.

"Fine." The brunet tossed the dead animal onto the ground in front of the wolf. Akamaru yipped happily and picked the carcass up in its mouth, then padded out of the cavern.

Neji could feel the mood shift instantly. Now that the stranger knew that he didn't have any guards waiting to infiltrate the cave at the first sign of trouble, he seemed a lot less angry and a lot more… amused. Neji knew that this did not bode well for him in the slightest.

The Hyuuga winced as the man's sharp gaze turned back to him. "So… it really is just you, huh."

"Yes." The young prince replied as calmly as he could.

"So… If I were to kill you…" The stranger continued casually, running a fingertip along the perforated edge of the knife. "…No one would ever know, is that right?"

"I-" Neji paused. "I left a trail. My father's guards would-"

"Unlikely." The stranger interrupted, tossing the knife up in the air and catching it by its handle. "While you were unconscious I had my pack sweep away any prints you make have left. I also had them take your bag and weapons and scatter them around the forest, so if anyone tries using a hunter dog to find you, they won't be successful."

Neji paled considerably. The severity of the situation had finally sunk in. The stranger was right. No one knew he was out here. If Neji was killed right now, it would be days before his body was found, and by then, his murderer would be long gone.

_You must be the dumbest prince in the whole entire world. How can you rule a kingdom if you can't even avoid being captured? _He thought silently, cursing himself for ever thinking that he could retrieve his medallion on his own. He should have waited so that he could go retrieve it with Kotetsu and Izumo and the rest of the guards. At least then he would have stood a chance against a pack of wolves and their leader.

_I have to do whatever I can to avoid being killed, for the sake of my kingdom. _He told himself. _Perhaps I can convince him to free me. _

"Sir… please." Neji said, as beseechingly as he could. "I beg of you… please, let me go."

The stranger laughed loudly, a deep, gravely sound that filled the cavern. "Huh. I didn't know that princes begged." The man grinned. "Tell me… what would you be willing to give me for your life?"

"Gold. Jewels." Neji responded, struggling to look up at the other male. "Anything you want."

"Hn." The other male used the knife to pick at his dangerously sharp looking teeth, seemingly unimpressed. "What else?"

"That is all I have." Neji said, his voice skating on the edge of desperate. A bead of sweat broke out on his temple and slid down the side of his face. He couldn't die here, not now. Who would take over the kingdom? Who would look over his sisters? Who would spend lazy afternoons in the library with Shikamaru?

"Come on…"The man took a step closer, his voice lowering. "There's got to be… _something_ else that you can give me."

"Like what-" He started, then cut himself off when he saw the strangers eyes wander blatantly over his restrained body. His breath caught in his throat as he realized the full meaning behind the man's words. For the first time that night, Neji met the stranger's gaze head on, and felt a slow sort of heat awaken in his stomach when he saw the desire in the other man's eyes. "I…"

Relationships between two men were not uncommon in his father's kingdom. During the time before the Hyuuga family ruled, sodomy was an offense punishable by death. However, after Neji's father took the throne some fifty years ago, following a a bloody coup d'etat, such laws had been abolished. Although same gender relationships had been permitted for over half a century, there were still some people who were hesitant and unwilling to admit their orientation for fear of prosecution.

Evidently, this man was not one of them.

Neji licked his suddenly dry lips, his ivory eyes flickering upward toward's the man's face. For the first time, he noticed how… attractive the stranger was, beneath all of the dirt and the scars. He was deeply tanned, with broad shoulders and toned abs. He had a strong jawline and full lips, as well as a pair of deep brown eyes and thick eyebrows. A light blush rose up on Neji's face when he realized that the man had been watching the prince examine him.

A sharp grin spread across the stranger's face. "That's more like it. However…"

He stopped in front of Neji and crouched down, reaching down and fisting one blood-covered hand into his silky hair. "Why ask for something, when I can just_ take_ it?"

With that, he yanked Neji's head up and crushed his lips to the other male's. Neji didn't even have enough time to react to the pain of having his hair pulled so harshly as the stranger pushed his tongue past Neji's slack lips. Biting down never even occurring to him, the prince could do nothing but stay still while the other male began to roughly explored every inch of his mouth.

His first instinct was to pull away, but as soon as the man's tongue slid wetly against his own, all thoughts of resistance died instantly. His eyelids fluttered closed as the other male ravaged his mouth without restraint, pulling back to briefly scrape his fangs across Neji's lower lip before diving back in again.

It was as if Neji's brain had been shut down. He knew he should be fighting, he knew that he shouldn't be allowing a strange man to breach him like this, but his body didn't seem to be getting any of these messages. A sharp jolt of pleasure shot through him every time the man's tongue brushed against his. Saliva escaped from the seam of their lips and slid down Neji's chin, but the young prince hardly even noticed it.

Just as Neji was about to give in an attempt to kiss back, the other male released him. Dazed, Neji almost lost his balance and fell over. He panted heavily as he struggled to keep himself upright, his eyes half lidded as he gazed up at the other male.

He had never been kissed like_ that _before. His blood was alive, humming through his veins and spreading warmth to his lower regions. _God... _He felt exhilarated, as if he had just woken up from an extremely long, extremely restful nap.

He was so distracted by his thoughts that he didn't realize the other man still had the knife in his hand. It wasn't until he felt the cold press of the blade against his wrists that he started to panic. "Wait-"

The knife sliced through the ropes with minimal effort. Neji's wrists were suddenly freed, and he was able to put his arms out in front of him to prevent himself from toppling over.

"Get out of here." The man told him, still crouching in front of Neji's form as he cut through the ropes binding his ankles as well. Once he was finished, he sheathed his knife without bothering to clean it.

Neji rubbed his wrists, unsure if he should be relieved or disappointed. "Just like that?" He ask shakily.

"Killing you would just bring on unnecessary attention." Was the stranger's answer. Neji looked up, and as soon has he did, a bronzed hand fisted in the front of his shirt, drawing him closer.

"But if you tell anyone about me, I will kill you." The man growled. Although his heart was still beating a mile a minute, Neji felt the fear from earlier creep back into his mind. Despite the male's good looks, staring into the face of the stranger was almost as scary as staring into the face of the wolf was. "Understand?"

"I understand." Neji said honestly, his heartbeat quickening to an even faster pace. They were so close. All he had to do was move his head just a bit closer and their lips would meet once more.

"Good." The man released Neji impatiently, then stood up. "Now go."

Neji slowly picked himself up off of the floor, feeling the circulation returning to his joints. _Run._ His mind screamed at him frantically. _Get out of here as quickly as you can. _Neji should have listened.

Instead, he hovered by the mouth of the cavern. The stranger settled back down onto the pile of furs and reached for the burlap sack once more. "Didn't you hear me? I said leave."

"...Are you really a demon?" Neji asked softly. It was the only thing he could think of to say.

"Demons don't exist." The man laughed. "Get out of here, _your majesty._ You know what will happen if I see you again."

Neji didn't know why a thrill shot through his body at those words. He didn't want to go. He wanted the stranger to kiss him again. "I-"

"_Leave_." The man growled deeply, resting his hand on the sharp knife sheathed in his belt as a warning.

Neji didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

It took Neji a good half an hour to find his way out of the cave, and the rest of the night to find his way out of the forest. The first rays of sunlight were just illuminating the sky when he collapsed into his bed, sweaty and covered in leaves. He fell asleep as soon as he pulled the covers over his aching body.

Several hours later, he was shaken awake by a short haired chambermaid named Matsuri. "Prince Neji..."

Groaning, he rolled over on to his back, pulling the sheets up over his eyes. "…Nnn… What is it?"

"Forgive me, your highness, but it is now two o'clock in the afternoon. I have been sent to awaken you. You were supposed to meet young Lord Shikamaru for lunch two and a half hours ago."

_Shit._ Neji had forgotten all about that. He sat upright immediately, then winced as his body screamed in protest. A quick glance to his wrists confirmed his thoughts; the encounter in the cave last night hadn't been a dream. For some reason, Neji was relieved to discover this.

"Thank you, Matsuri. Please draw me a bath."

"As you wish, my prince." She bowed and exited the room.

Twenty minutes later, Neji sank into the porcelain bathtub with a drawn-out sigh. The water was deliciously hot and perfumed with sweet smelling bath oils. Inhaling deeply, he could hardly believe he was back in the castle, indulging in a luxurious bath instead of lying dead in the forest.

He held up his wrists side by side, pressing them against each other. The skin was red where the ropes had dug into it. Neji rubbed his thumb over the marks, recalling how it felt to have his hands bound together so tightly. The man had to have spent some time tying him up while he was unconscious. Just the thought of the stranger touching him made his skin flush a dark pink.

He sighed, sinking deeper into the water. He hadn't even realized that he was attracted to other men until last night, but now he was realizing that it made a lot of sense. He never felt anything for any of the girls he was supposed to court. He had never even so much as looked at a girl with the same sort of desire that he felt last night.

Neji remembered the way the stranger had kissed him. How he had forced Neji's head back and plundered his mouth with his tongue with no regard to his feelings. How Neji had been powerless to stop him, how the stranger could have done anything to him and Neji would have just had to lie there and take it. There was no uncertainty, no hesitancy, no annoying little giggles like the ones that might follow a quick peck from one of the girls he was supposed to court.

And Neji had _loved_ it. The kiss was unlike anything he had ever felt before. The simple act of remembering it made his skin tingle pleasantly. If he was that turned on by a kiss, then what would happen if he… if they were to…

Neji groaned, covering his face with his hands. _Stop thinking about it. Things like this are best forgotten._ He scolded himself._ You would get into an exorbitant amount of trouble if anyone found out about this. _

The thought of being screamed at by his father was enough to quell any desirous thoughts. Neji knew that the right thing to do would be to tell Hiashi right away. Hiashi would immediately send out all of his knights. The man would be captured and killed within a day. There would be no more robberies, and Neji would get married to some boring girl and be miserable for the rest of his life.

_You could always go back..._

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back to rest on the rim of the tub as the unbidden thought floated into his head. What was wrong with him?_ Of course_ he couldn't go back. He was a prince. The fact that he wasn't planning on telling anyone about his nighttime journey was bad enough- he couldn't very well go back for a second time on top of that.

And what would happen if he did go back? _You know what will happen if I see you again_, the man had said. Neji wasn't stupid enough to make the same mistake twice in a row. But what if it wasn't a mistake? What if, by _not_ going back, he was missing out on the only think that had ever made his heart beat faster than it ever had before?

_Are you insane?_ Neji asked himself, nearly shocked at his own reckless thoughts. _You almost got yourself killed last night, and now you want to do it again?_

Still, Neji knew why he was having these thoughts. With the exception of Shikamaru's visits, castle life was usually incredibly boring. There were few things he was permitted to do without having a guard around him. Although Neji loved his father dearly, he also resented Hiashi for keeping him caged up all of the time. Because of this, he often snuck out during nights. Most of the time, he would go into the village just to mingle with the locals. However, some nights he would just go into the forest and stare up at the castle, willing himself to imagine what it felt like to be a commoner.

The stranger had become yet another symbol of what Neji couldn't have. In a way, he represented freedom of the ultimate variety. No one to answer to, no rules, no restrictions. The ability to do whatever he wanted without facing repercussions.

_You are wrong._ His conscious told him. _That man is a thief, a common criminal with trained beasts to do his bidding. You should not be thinking about him in this manner. What would your sisters think if they knew? What about Shikamaru? What about… your mother?_

Neji suddenly felt very cold, even though the water was still warm. His _mother._ She would probably be disgusted with him, lusting after a criminal the way he was. He felt ashamed of himself.

"I am sorry." He whispered, finally picking up a sponge and beginning to vigorously scrub himself with it, determined to get himself as clean as possible.

* * *

"Well, well, well. It looks like his majesty himself has finally decided to wake up and join his lowly subjects."

Neji gave Shikamaru a tired smile as he rode up to him on a midnight black steed named Mitsuho. He knew he deserved the teasing, and did not make any effort to rebuff the younger boy's words.

He had spent the rest of his bath convincing himself not to go back to that cave in the woods, and he was fairly sure he had made the right decision. After he had been clothed, the servants had informed him that Shikamaru had moved on from the dining hall roughly an hour ago, and was now in the archery field.

The younger male was alone, a quiver slung over his shoulder and a bow grasped in his hand. He was standing roughly around twenty meters away from the first target, and his own horse was grazing on a hilltop a short ways away.

"I am sorry, Shikamaru." Neji said sheepishly, effortlessly masking his inner turmoil. He didn't want to give his friend any reason to worry about him. "I guess I was more exhausted than I thought yesterday."

"Do not trouble yourself about it, Neji." Shikamaru said, tossing a smile over his shoulder. "I understand."

Neji sighed in relief. He had been worried that Shikamaru would be upset with him, and rightly so. He tugged gently on the reins on his horse, instructing it to stop next to his friend.

Turning back to the target, Shikamaru smoothly fitted an arrow, then pulled back and let it fly. It struck the bullseye of the target dead on. Before Neji could even blink, Shikamaru had already loaded and shot two more. One hit just below the first one, and the third one hit right above it, creating a perfectly straight line.

Neji whistled lowly. "When did you become so skilled at archery?" A quick glance around the field revealed to Neji that many of the other targets were similarly marked, with four or so arrows jutting outward from the center.

"When my family was staying in Suna. A good friend of my father's offered to teach me, and I caught on quickly." Shikamaru explained, firing off two more arrows and turning the line into an addition symbol. "It helps relieve stress."

"And what sort of _stress_ do you need help relieving, Shikamaru?" Neji teased, guiding Mitsuho in a slow circle around the younger male.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, his lip curling up into a smirk. "I do not think it would be appropriate for your delicately royal ears, my prince."

If Neji had not been raised properly, he would have snorted. Instead he pulled his horse to a stop. "Perhaps you can give me some tips, then." He said as he dismounted.

"On stress relief?" Shikamaru asked innocently, reaching up and gently stroking Mitsuho's nose.

Neji rolled his eyes as he landed. "On _archery_."

Shikamaru mock-bowed. "Anything for you, my prince." He said, handing over his bow and quiver. Neji accepted the items with a smile.

"Stand here." Shikamaru moved behind Neji. "Okay. Now show me how you usually shoot an arrow."

Neji did as he was instructed, nocking the arrow as he had learned how to do many years ago when he had first been taught to wield a bow an arrow. He studied the target for a brief second before simultaneously raising the bow and drawing back the arrow. Resisting the urge to glance over at Shikamaru for confirmation that he was doing it right, he narrowed his eyes and fired.

The arrow whizzed through the air and hit the six-ring target just outside of the third ring. Neji sucked his lip into his mouth, turning to look at the younger male. Shikamaru was studying Neji intently, a calculating look on his face. Neji had a brief flash of deja vu, and he opened his mouth to voice this occurrence, only to be cut off but the other male snapping his fingers decisively.

"I've got it." Shikamaru declared. "Fit you arrow again." Neji did.

"Okay. Now stop." Neji paused in his stance. Shikamaru moved around behind him, pressing as close as he could to the other male's back without actually touching him. One tanned hand slipped around Neji's torso.

"You are breathing from here-" Shikamaru pressed his palm flat against Neji's chest. "When you should be breathing from _here_." He slid his hand down the other male's midsection, then applied a light pressure to Neji's abdominal muscles.

Neji closed his eyes, fighting off a shudder as he attempted to regulate his breathing. Now that he was aware of his attraction to other males, he found himself unusually perceptive of the men around him, just in the last hour and a half alone. He had nearly blushed when on of the stable boys had handed him Matsuho's reins, and now he was reacting abnormally to a friend just trying to help him out. It was both scary and exciting. He felt as if he was discovering himself for the first time, and, in a way, he was.

"Neji?" Shikamaru asked, stepping away from the young prince. The Hyuuga shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts.

"I am sorry, Shikamaru." Neji apologized a second time. "I guess I am just still tired."

"It is fine. You just have to start breathing deeper." The younger male explained. "Time your shot so that it goes off with your breath."

Neji took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. Such things could be thought about later.

He regulated his breathing as much as he could, focusing his gaze on the target so he wouldn't become distracted again. After a few seconds, Shikamaru spoke again.

"Good. Now aim- no, that is too high- all right, perfect. Shoot it." Shikamaru stepped back. Although Neji immediately missed the other male's warmth, he didn't allow it to shake him. He inhaled slowly, forcing the breath in a deep as it could go, then let the arrow fly on his exhale. It whizzed through the air and struck the target just below the bullseye.

"Nicely done." Shikamaru said with a kind smile, placing a hand on Neji shoulder.

Neji lowered the bow. "I am still not as good as you, however." He responded, although he was quite pleased with himself.

"Give it time." Shikamaru commented, gently taking his items back from the other male. "But enough of this. What do you want to do today?"

"Anything you want to do. I owe you for missing lunch today." Neji said, then frowned as a thought occurred to him. "Well, anything but-"

"Cloud watching!" The ponytailed male exclaimed, grabbing Neji's wrist and pulling him toward the hills. The Hyuuga groaned as he was dragged over to the grassy slopes. _I had to ask._

_

* * *

_

Despite his initial reluctance, Neji had to admit that it was a perfect day for cloud gazing. The sky was a clear, cerulean blue. The bright yellow sun radiated warm rays across the grounds, forcing the Hyuuga to shed his vest and push up the sleeves of his white silk shirt. The soft, fluffy clouds drifted by lazily, the perfect pace for such a beautifully calm afternoon.

A soft breeze rolled by, pushing a few strands of dark mocha hair on to Neji's face. He raised his hand to brush them away, then froze when he saw the red rope markings around his wrist.

_Oh… _

He quickly pulled his sleeves back down, glancing over at Shikamaru to make sure that the other male hadn't seen. Luckily, the younger male was already dozing lightly, one arm over his face to shield his eyes from the sun.

Being with Shikamaru had worked a little too well in taking his mind off of last night. Lying on the grass and staring up at the sky, it was hard to believe that just fifteen hours ago, he was bound on the floor of a dirty old cave, with a dangerous tattooed stranger looking at him as if he were edible.

Neji bit his lip as the memories of the previous night came flooding back to him. He wished desperately that he could get the ordeal out of his mind. It wouldn't do for a future monarch to be so shaken by one brief encounter. He escaped with his life, and he should be content with that.

_You know what will happen if I see you again._

But did he? Why did that single line excite him so much?

And those eyes… he remembered the way they trailed over his body as if he were an expensive commodity. Had anyone ever gazed at him like that? Some girls, maybe, but even they weren't bold enough to do what the stranger had done. And Neji didn't want them, anyway. He knew what he wanted now. He wanted a man, one who could rival and even overpower him in strength. But, because he was a prince and a role model first and a human being with desires second, the things that he wanted rarely counted for anything.

Forgetting about the entire ordeal was what was best for him. Maybe one day he would find a bride who could pull his hair and kiss him like that…

_Yeah, right. _Neji groaned aloud, covering his face with his hands. Shikamaru shifted next to him, opening one eye to look over at his companion.

"What are you thinking about?" He murmured drowsily.

"I…" Neji stopped himself. Should he tell Shikamaru what had happened last night? Despite the fact that the Nara was his closest friend, Neji wasn't sure if he could trust the other boy with something like this. He knew that the other male was exceptionally good at keeping secrets, but at the same time, he was very protective as well, and if Neji told him what he did the previous night, Shikamaru's concern for the older man's safety would most likely outweigh his loyalty to Neji.

"…Nothing."

"Okay." Shikamaru re-closed his eyes. Neji studied him briefly, before rolling over onto his side and looking towards the forest.

No, Neji wasn't sure what would happen if he went back to the cave. But by God, he wanted to find out.

* * *

Neji spent the rest of the afternoon with Shikamaru. He had asked the younger male several times to share his surprise announcement with him, but the Nara had adamantly refused, maintaining that Neji would find out at dinner. They had parted at sundown. Shikamaru had said that he wanted to go into town for a few items. Neji envied the other male's ability to come and go as he please, without supervision of any kind.

Around eight o'clock, Neji ran into Hinata at the bottom of the main staircase just as the dinner bell rang. When she spotted him, a sunny smile spread across her angelic face. "Oh! N-Neji!"

"Good evening, Hinata." He greeted her, returning her smile and offering her his arm. She took it graciously.

"I h-h-have not seen you all d-day!" She chirped, dismissing the servants that had been walking with her. "Are y-you excited for Sh-Shikamaru's announcement?"

"Yes… why?" Neji turned to look at her, a suspicious look taking over his features. "What do you know?"

Hinata just continued to smile, turning to face forward. The male Hyuuga frowned.

"Did Shikamaru tell you?" Neji prodded as they approached the entrance to the dining hall. A pair of servants opened the doors for them, and once they passed the threshold of the room, Hinata was unable to keep playing coy.

"Oh, N-Neji, it is so wonderful!" She said, releasing his arms to clap her hands together.

"What? What is it?" Neji demanded. "Who else knows of it?"

"Everyone b-but you, Mother, and Father. Sh-Shikamaru t-told us during lunch this afternoon."

Neji cursed under his breath. If he hadn't slept through lunch, he might have been privy to the information as well. "What-" He started, then stopped himself when he realize that Hinata had abandoned his arm to go and sit next to Hanabi. Both of the girls giggled at the look on his face. They laughed even harder ten minutes later when Shikamaru walked in, fresh from his trip to the market.

The food was served when Hiashi and Hitomiko took their seats at the head of the table. Neji was glad that at least he wasn't the only one who was still in the dark. It would have been embarrassing if everyone but him knew about Shikamaru's special announcement.

He participated in little conversation throughout the meal. His mind was too occupied to focus on anything for longer than a couple of minutes. His thoughts kept morphing from the stranger in the cave to Shikamaru's announcement, and then back again. More than once, his gaze wandered over to Shikamaru. What was so important that it had Hinata giggling like a child? Perhaps...

_It couldn't be. _Neji carefully slid his gaze over to his half sister. The bright smile was still on her face, and her cheeks were rosy from excitement. She was talking excitedly to Hanabi, who looked just as eager as she did.

_He couldn't have… proposed to her, could he? _Neji thought incredulously.

Although… the idea wasn't that farfetched. Shikamaru and Hinata were the same age, after all. And the eldest female Hyuuga was quite beautiful. She had also been of age to marry for a good number of months, although Hiashi and Hitomiko had both agreed that they were going to wait until she was just a bit older before they allowed her to be courted. However, Neji could have sworn that Hinata was enamored with an attractive blond boy named Naruto, who was the apprentice of a carpenter who regularly made furniture for the castle. She would always turn red whenever he was around, and spoke of him extremely often when he was away.

Is this why Shikamaru had gone out of his way to make sure Neji hadn't found out about his announcement? Maybe he thought he needed Neji's approval, as well as the King and Queen's.

Neji frowned._ Did_ he approve? He definitely thought that Hinata was way too young to be getting married, and he hadn't even _known_ that Shikamaru had a romantic interest in her. As a matter of fact, for some reason, the thought of Shikamaru being romantically interested in anyone didn't sit right with him. He liked Shikamaru… alone. He didn't want the boy to be with anyone else. Ever since they were young, Shikamaru had always said that girls were too troublesome for him to get involved with.

Sure, they weren't children anymore, but Neji still couldn't help but feel betrayed.

Scowling to himself, Neji attempted to ignore the feeling. He was probably just worried that Shikamaru wouldn't have that much time to spend with him if he got married. _But_, he started to console himself,_ at least if they marry, Shikamaru won't be as far away…_ the thought made him cheer up a tiny bit.

At last the plates were cleared, and desert was served. Neji's pulse sped up when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shikamaru signal to the king for quiet. It was time.

A servant rang a bell, and the long table fell silent. Shikamaru stood up, clearing his throat. His eyes sought out Neji's for a brief moment, before he turned to address the rest of the diners.

"As some of you may know, this previous september I reached my eighteenth birthday. By this kingdom's law, I am now permitted to actively pursue a partner. I have journeyed to Konoha for this sole purpose."

Neji sat back in his chair, a sinking sort of sensation occurring in his chest. _I knew I was right._ He thought, somewhat disappointedly.

"My family have considered this matter for a long time. Because whoever becomes my spouse will jointly own the vast amount of properties I will inherit, my parents and I have agreed that not just anyone is worthy enough to be my spouse."

Shikaku nodded sagely, placing a hand on Yoshino's shoulder.

"I have also spent an extensive amount of time reflecting on the subject alone. I decided that I want to marry someone I know very well. Someone who I get along with. Someone who I have known for a very long time, and trust with my life."

Neji pondered the older boys words. He hadn't realized that the other male trusted Hinata so greatly. _Maybe I just have not noticed how close they are._ He thought glumly. _Shikamaru should at least told me something beforehand… some sort of clue, perhaps… _

He was so distracted by his thoughts that he nearly missed the conclusion of Shikamaru's announcement.

"That is why..." Shikamaru turned to face king Hiashi, an unusually sober look in his eyes. "Your majesty… with your permission, I would like to begin courting your son, Crown Prince Hyuuga Neji."


	3. Chapter III

i don't own naruto.

chapter 3. ;) thank you so much to every single one of you who reviewed!

* * *

**Clandestine**

Chapter III

* * *

**- o -**

At first, Neji thought that he was hallucinating. There was no way Shikamaru had just said what he thought he said. _Perhaps I have had too much to drink tonight,_ he thought, picking up his wine glass and looking into it suspiciously.

The entire dining hall was as silent as a tomb. No one dared to talk, whisper, or even cough. Everyone was looking toward the head of the table, where the King and Queen sat. Said rulers were both quiet, looking at the young man pensively. Shikamaru looked back at them evenly, not allowing his gaze to stray from the king for one second.

The longer the silence stretched out, the more uncomfortable Neji became. He set down his glass with a soft _clink_, looking from his parents to Shikamaru, to the rest of the members of the table, a deep frown spreading across his face. Why wasn't anyone speaking?

"That is quite the announcement, Shikamaru." Hiashi said finally, leaning back in his chair. "I hope you do not mind it if I ask you a few questions, just for the sake of clarity." Hitomiko murmured a noise of agreement next to him.

"Not at all, your majesty." Shikamaru said courteously, looking as calm as ever despite the fact that his hands were trembling ever so slightly.

Neji looked up at Shikamaru, confusion slowly melting away into shock. Shikamaru- he couldn't be serious, could he?

_This must be a joke_. He thought frantically, despite the fact that no one seemed to be laughing.

Had Shikamaru somehow found out about Neji's attraction to other men? But how could he, when Neji himself had only discovered it yesterday? Perhaps there had been signs. Neji thought, struggling to remain composed, despite the fact that what he really wanted to do was grab Shikamaru and ask him what the hell he was doing. _Maybe… maybe everyone had realized it before me. _

His eyes widened at the thought. He quickly looked across the table to Hinata and Hanabi, who had stopped giggling and were now looking up at Shikamaru with stars in their eyes.

"You say that you have extensively thought this this through." Hiashi's deep voice interrupted Neji's train of thought. "Once married, where is it that you plan to live? You cannot possibly lord over your vast amount of properties from the castle."

"You are right, as always, my king. Once I inherit my father's assets, I would have to spend a great deal of time away from the castle to make sure that everything is in order." Shikamaru explained confidently, never once taking his eyes away from the king's. "Over time, however, I hope to sell most of the land to the farmers that tend it, so that I may purchase lands closer to home."

_Home? He does not even live here._ Neji thought to himself, warm anger seeping into his psyche. He was still desperately clinging to the notion that this was all just a joke, a misguided attempt to liven up Neji's otherwise boring life. However, every word Shikamaru spoke sounded deadly serious, and it was getting harder and harder to keep himself calm.

"Fair enough." Hiashi nodded, rubbing a hand against his chin. "Secondly, you do realize that you will need a heir. How do you plan on producing one?"

Shikamaru seemed to have been prepared for this question. "We will find a woman to birth one for us. I do not mind having a child that is not of my own blood, as long as I can help raise it." He responded smoothly.

"I see."

Neji looked from his father to Shikamaru, outrage written all over his face. Despite the fact that he knew he was expected to provide a heir somehow, it was certainly not up to Shikamaru to decide how it would happen.

_Calm down._ He tried telling himself. It is just a malicious prank._ Nothing to get too worked up over._

"Finally…" Hiashi folded his hands across his lap. His voice took on a darker tone. "Young Nara, I must inform you that marrying my son will make you an instant target for assassination attempts. Before I make any sort of decision about this, I need to know if you are prepared to live in a constant state of danger. I will _not_ have you abandoning Neji at the first sight of trouble." He stated gravely, the expression on his face making just how strongly he felt about his son exceptionally clear.

Shikamaru leaned in ever so slightly, no signs of hesitation present on his face. His eyes locked onto the old king's. "I would not dream of doing such a thing, my lord. Neji means the world to me. In the face of danger, I would do my best to keep him safe, and, if necessary, give my life for him."

If Neji hadn't thought he was dreaming before, that was enough proof to convince him. There was no way Shikamaru had just said he would die for him. _No. Way._ His mouth was hanging open by now, and he could do nothing else but stare up at his younger friend.

Hiashi sat back in his chair, seemingly satisfied with Shikamaru's answer.

"It is not unusual for a kingdom to possess two kings." Hitomiko interjected carefully, tapping her chin with a slender finger. "Let us not forget, Tobirama and Hashirama Senju ruled jointly as brothers, and they created the most prosperous empire any of us have ever seen."

Neji looked over at his stepmother, stunned at her words. She couldn't possibly be going along with this, could she?

Hiashi nodded slowly, his hand cradling his chin. "Yes… you are right, my dear. And Neji has not taken to any of the women we have attempted to pair him up with..."

Said prince scowled in his seat. _They are talking as if I am not even here._ He thought angrily, his fingers clenching around his fork.

Hiashi was silent for three long minutes. He looked thoughtfully at the young Nara, who remained standing and held his gaze. A few times, he looked over at his wife, who would whisper something unintelligible to him. He never once looked over at Neji.

The entire table held their breath, unsure what the king's decision would be. Even the servants were all hovering around the doors, waiting to hear what Hiashi's decision would be.

The young prince was practically sweating when his father finally started to speak. He took a deep breath to calm himself. _It is alright. Father will most definitely tell Shikamaru to stop wasting his time with this nonsense, and we can go back to having dessert..._

"Young Nara…" Hiashi stood up as well, displaying his regal black and white robes.

"You are the son of one of my closest friends. I have watched you grow up from a bright young boy to a highly intelligent and exceptionally skilled young man. Though I do not believe I have ever told you this, in reality, for years I have considered you as part of my family.

Because of this, I would be proud to call you my son in law. You have my permission, as well as my blessing."

Shikamaru exhaled shakily, looking as if a heavy load had just been taken off of his shoulders. A broad, joyful smile broke out across his face, and he bowed deeply towards Hiashi. "Thank you, your majesty. I will do whatever I can to make your son happy." He forced out, his voice warped by emotion.

Hanabi stood up abruptly, clapping furiously. Everyone else at the table followed suit, standing up and offering an uproarious round of applause. Soon, the dining hall was alive with a cacophony of cheers and sounds of encouragement. Hinata had tears of happiness streaming down her face. Shikamaru was being embraced, first by his parents, then by friends and acquaintances from the table.

Neji sat frozen in his seat, shocked at the raucous celebration going on around him. A quick glance to his stepmother confirmed that even she was smiling serenely.

He pushed his chair away from the table and stood up, muttering an 'excuse me' before storming out of the dining hall. Only one person noticed.

Shikamaru looked away from an overly excited servant who was chattering a mile a minute just in time to see a flash of glossy, dark brown hair disappear through the large mahogany doors. The ecstatic expression on his face fell instantly, and he tore away from the people reaching for him to chase after the escaped prince.

The celebration continued behind him as the Nara bolted through the doors, hoping to catch his friend before he got too far away. Once in the vestibule, he found the young prince already halfway up the stairs, his angry footsteps echoing off of the stone walls.

"Neji!" He called, starting up the staircase. His call was blatantly ignored as the young prince continued up the stairs, his hands balled into firsts at his side. Shikamaru's brow furrowed, and he began taking the steps two at a time so he could reach the other male quicker.

"NEJI!" Shikamaru was able to reach out and grabbed the other boy's arm when he reached the first landing. "Why are you-"

Neji whirled around furiously, yanking his arm away from the other male and subsequently pulling Shikamaru onto the landing. "What is it that you _want_, Shikamaru?" He asked, his ivory eyes narrowed in unmistakable anger.

Shikamaru looked taken aback, shocked at his friend's negative reaction. "I don't understand-"

"Do you want to be king? Is that it?" Neji snapped. The torches on the wall flickered, casting dark shadows on the two of them. "This is just an easy way for you to grab power, is it not?"

"No!" The younger male was stunned. "Not at all, why would you-"

"Then why did you say what you said at dinner? Were you making fun of me?" Neji's voice grew louder, echoing off of the stone walls. He couldn't believe that Shikamaru would have the audacity to joke around like that directly to his father's face. Even worse was the fact that everyone at the table had unquestioningly took Shikamaru's words at face value.

"Of course not! If you would just let me-" The younger male tried frantically, but he was cut off once more. It looked as if the young prince was unwilling to listen to a reasonable explanation, so caught up in his own theories.

"I thought you were my friend, Shikamaru! How could you just blatantly mock me in front of my family like that? And everyone believed you, too!"

"I was not mocking you!" The younger male shouted frustratedly, taking a step closer to the other male. "I was serious!"

"I do not believe you!" Neji yelled back, angry splotches of color appearing on his cheeks. "Why on earth would you want to marry me?"

"Because I am in LOVE with you, Neji!"

The stairwell became deathly silent.

Pearlescent eyes widened at the younger male's confession. Shikamaru looked equally surprised by his own admission. He looked off to the side, a light blush staining his cheeks.

"Wh- what?" Neji asked quietly, staring at the other male.

"I…" Shikamaru trailed off, looking unsure of himself for the first time during the course of their friendship. However, after taking a deep breath, he managed to shake it off. Without giving himself time to pause, he took a step closer to the other boy, moving so he was a mere few inches away from the prince.

With a determined look on his face, he took both of Neji's hands in his, puling the other male closer. "Do you remember my last visit to the castle?" He started gently, stroking his thumb over the smooth skin of Neji's hands in a calming manner. "It was the middle of winter, and you were terribly ill with a fever. Everyone thought that you were going to die."

The young prince nodded shakily, still not entirely sure he could believe this was happening. A cool breeze blew in from the castle doors, making the torches on the wall flicker.

"I stayed by your side for ten days straight, until you recovered. It was during that time that I... I realized what I felt for you. If you had died… I do not know what I would have done."

Shikamaru was looking right into Neji's eyes, and the young prince found that he couldn't handle the honesty in the other male's deep brown orbs. He looked off to the side, worrying his lower lip with his teeth. Shikamaru deflated slightly at the action, but continued anyway.

"When I returned home, after you became well again, I spent my days thinking of what I could possibly do to win you over. When you started writing to me, telling me of how tired you were of courting girls, I started thinking. I finally came up with the idea of proposing to you. I had hoped that your father would see the merger of our families as a benefit, and I figured that since we have been friends for so long, you would not mind being my husband."

Neji winced at the word 'husband'. He still could hardly believe what he was hearing. It all seemed like a very bizarre dream to him.

"I…" Shikamaru exhaled, looking remorseful. "...I thought about telling you in a letter… but I had been so certain that you would say yes right away that I thought it would be better if I surprised you. More… romantic, I guess." He laughed humorlessly, shaking his head. "I guess I was wrong."

Neji opened his mouth to say something, but Shikamaru pressed onward, seemingly afraid of whatever the young prince was about to say to him. "I am sorry. I should not have sprung this on you so suddenly. It was selfish of me." He said, tightening his grip on Neji's hands. "But… even if you don't necessarily love me, it cannot be any worse than marrying a girl you do not like, right?"

Neji could neither confirm or deny this statement. He was too busy staring at the other male in astonishment, his hands limp in Shikamaru's grip.

"I do not want to be a ruler. I do not even want to be a nobleman." Shikamaru told him sincerely, releasing Neji's hands. They dropped to the young prince's side without any resistance. "But… I want _you_. More than anything else in the world. " He finished, taking a step back and looking at Neji with a sad sort of gaze.

Neji couldn't force himself to meet the other boy's gaze. He wasn't sure what Shikamaru was waiting to hear from him, but he found that he couldn't say anything at all to the younger male. He was too confused, too mixed up inside to offer Shikamaru any sort of closure.

Biting his lip, he pushed past the other male and darted up the stairs without sparing him a second glance.

* * *

**- o -**

Once he was inside his room, Neji let all his frustrations come out. He was far too dignified to throw a fit, but he did contemplate hurling his pillow at the wall, to release some of his tension. In the end, he just decided to sit moodily on the edge of his bed, hunched over with his head in his hands.

His best friend was _in love_ with him.

It was so odd. He had never seen Shikamaru act the way he had tonight. The older boy was supposed to be lazy and carefree... not passionate and melancholy. Neji wasn't used to seeing the other boy with emotions. Watching the younger boy confess his love to him had been one of the most surreal things he had ever endured.

He could only remember bits and pieces of the time he had been sick, but he did know that Shikamaru had indeed spent the entire run of his fever at his bedside. When he had confronted the other male about it later on, Shikamaru had simply shrugged and said, "I came to visit you, and that is what I did."

Try as he might, Neji could not think of any signs that would have told him of Shikamaru's feelings. They hadn't even liked each other when they first met as children- Shikamaru had thought that Neji was too uptight, and Neji had thought that Shikamaru was too lazy.

Well, there had been that time in the library yesterday, when Shikamaru had been overly concerned about him being attacked by a wolf… but he would have done the same thing for Hinata or Hanabi, wouldn't he? And today, when he had been 'instructing' Neji on how to shoot an arrow… But Neji had asked him to do that.

The young prince groaned, falling back on his bed with a soft thump. It was so hard to figure out what parts of Shikamaru's actions were motivated by have never done anything together that a normal pair of best friends wouldn't do.

Had Neji done anything to encourage those feelings? Had he, at any time, led the other boy on into thinking that Neji would want to peruse a relationship with him? Try as he might, Neji couldn't think of one incident where he had acted as if their relationship was anything but platonic.

_So why would he be in love with me?_ Neji thought, staring up at the dark blue velvet canopy above his bed.

He was so confused. He liked men. Evidently, Shikamaru did too. And although Shikamaru was by no means unattractive, Neji just didn't... he couldn't like Shikamaru in that way. Neji could think of several admirers the other male had had during the course of their friendship, and even he had caught himself appreciating the other male's looks sometimes, even before he had realized that he was attracted to men. They had been friends for so long that the thought of being in a relationship, let alone marrying the other boy, was just… weird. Neji considered the other male to be similar to a brother, for God's sake.

Their friendship had been fine before. _More_ than fine. _Why did you have to go and ruin it, Shikamaru? _ Neji thought miserably, curling up on his side. He had no idea how he was going to face the other boy in the morning. He wasn't even sure if he'd be able to _look_ at his father during breakfast the next morning.

_"I would be proud to call you my son in law."_

Neji felt a fresh surge of anger race through him at the memory. His father… he had been speaking as if it had already been decided that they were going to be married! As if this courtship wasn't the same thing as all of the others. When would Neji be allowed to make his own decisions? Shikamaru hadn't even asked him if he was okay with being courted by the younger male. True, most girls had no choice in the matter of who they were courted by, but Neji wasn't "most girls", not even close. He was a prince, a full blooded member of the royal family and next in line to the throne. He should be able to chose who he wanted to marry.

_You do get a choice, Neji. _A snide voice inside him said. _A boy you consider to be your brother, or a random girl whom you've never met and aren't even remotely attracted to._

Some choice.

Neji growled in frustration. Suddenly, everything in the castle made him feel sick. His father's disregard for his feelings and Shikamaru's arrogant assumptions had him feeling twisted up inside. He wished he could be a normal person for once. He wished that his own thoughts and feelings didn't come second to everyone else's. He wished…

Neji sat up and looked to the window. The moon was bright and round in the sky. Below that, the dark treetops of the forest lay, looking unnaturally inviting.

_I… I need some air._

_

* * *

_**- o -**_  
_

Unsurprisingly, Neji ended up in the forest.

He had no idea where he was going. The trail he had followed yesterday had been brushed away, most likely by the same animal that had made it. The wind was exceedingly strong tonight, and he found himself being pulled along paths and around trees with seemingly no direction in mind. He allowed it to happen, didn't fight or struggle. He knew he was being reckless. He knew what he was doing was dangerous, and there was a good chance he wouldn't live through the night. But for some reason, he could not bring himself to care. He just wanted to get away- from the castle, from his parents, from Shikamaru.

He needed a distraction. The forest was the only place he could think off that would provide such a thing- but whether it was in the form of a strange man in a cave, or something ten times more deadly, he didn't know. He just knew that it was better than being in the castle.

The wind died down when Neji stumbled into a small clearing. He looked around, but could see only dark trees and bushes encircling him.

A loud growling noise echoed off of the trees behind him. Neji didn't even have to turn around to know what had made it. Instead he stopped moving altogether. The growling drew closer, and a surprisingly soft tail brushed against his fingers.

The large wolf circled around him slowly, sniffing at the ground around his feet. Neji found himself observing that the wolf was just above his own waist in height. Despite the fact that the animal could easily tear him limb from limb, and by all intents and purposes was prepared to do it last night, Neji wasn't afraid.

"Hello." Neji said softly. "Akamaru, was it?"

The wolf looked up sharply at the mention of his name. With a short back, it lunged forward, grabbing a portion of Neji's sleeve in between its teeth and pulling. Neji stumbled forward, catching himself before he fell and allowing the animal to pull him along.

Neji found himself being dragged through the forest once more, except this time with a living guide instead of the winds. He knew exactly where the animal was planning on taking him. The thought of seeing the man again had his heart beating hard in his chest.

_You know what will happen if I see you again._

At last, they reached the mouth of the cave. Akamaru released Neji, but didn't leave his side, instead nudging him forward with his nose.

Neji chanced a look back. He could still slip away from the wolf. Maybe if he ran fast enough, he wouldn't be caught.

_Who are you kidding? This is exactly where you want to be._

He sighed in defeat, then entered the cave cautiously, this time spotting the sleeping wolves right away. Akamaru followed silently behind him, but took the lead when they came to two different tunnels just past the main opening. They took the one on the left, and walked down the sloping cavern in silence.

At last, they came to the same cavern he had been held captive in not twenty-four hours ago. Now that he wasn't bound on the floor, Neji was able to take in the unconventional setting.

The cavern was oval shaped, and roughly around seven meters in length and four meters on height. Stalagmites hung menacingly from the ceiling. As it was last night, the room was only illuminated by a small lantern. Against the far wall, the was something that Neji had not noticed the previous night; a large pile of contraband. Everything from gold pieces to jewelry to fire wood was stacked up in the pile, which looked as if it cam up to just about Neji's knee.

The stranger from the previous night was there, seated on the pile of furs and sharpening a knife. He looked up as the two entered the cavern.

"Akamaru, why do you smell like-"

He cut himself off as his eyes landed on the young prince. Their eyes met for a long moment before the stranger threw his head back, emitting a round of brusque laughter that echoed off of the walls of the cramped cave. Neji's face flushed as he was blatantly laughed at. He clasped his hands together, waiting for the other man to compose himself.

After a good minute and a half, the man's laughter finally died down. "You _can't _be serious." He said finally, his voice hoarse from laughing so hard.

"I… I did not tell anyone about you." Neji said quietly, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. The stranger chuckled.

"Hn. So you're not as dumb as you look."

The attack on his intelligence momentarily halted Neji's fear. Demon or not, there was still no way he would allow anyone to insult him like that. His eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. "I am_ not_ dumb." He hissed.

"Really? Because from where I'm sitting, you coming back here was a pretty stupid thing to do." The man's eyes flicked casually down to the large knife clasped in his hand. Neji swallowed hard, taking a step backward. _Smart, Neji. Angering the man with the knife._

The stranger snorted, lazily getting to his feet. He slid the knife back into its sheath. "Calm down. I already told you I wasn't going to kill you, didn't I?"

Neji nodded.

"Why did you come back, anyway?" The stranger asked. "If you're here for your little necklace, you're out of luck. I already sold it."

The young prince felt a pang of sadness at the other male's careless admission. He had resigned himself to the fact that he would most likely never get his medallion back after he had returned to the castle, but he had hoped that maybe somewhere along the line he'd see it again some day.

He opened his mouth to ask where he could find it now, in hopes that he could go buy it back, but found that he couldn't get the words past his throat when he saw what the other man was doing.

The stranger was stretching languidly, seemingly uncaring of Neji's turmoil. The Hyuuga's eyes were drawn to his sculpted abdominal muscles, and how the torchlight defined the grooves in his bronzed skin. The sight had his blood running south. He could count the number of times he had seen another male's bare chest on one hand, last night included, but never once had the sight elicited a response like this.

"Wh- why did you kiss me last night?" Neji asked without giving the question any thought, his voice barely above a breathy murmur as the memory bled into his mind. The other male appeared to have been struck by the same remembrance, for a positively wicked smirk stretched across his face.

"Do you really think I'd pass up an opportunity like that?" He asked, invading Neji's personal space with ease. To Neji's surprise, he found that he was a few centimeters taller than the other male. "To taste not only a prince, but a beautiful one as well?"

Neji flushed pleasantly at the other male's words. He swallowed hard, his opalescent eyes meeting smoldering chocolate orbs. Compliments about his looks were never scarce, but this was the first time in all of his years that the words actually meant something to him.

He could feel the warmth of the man's bare skin permeating the fabric of his shirt. The sensation had him feeling dizzy. He licked his lips, feeling a bead of sweat break out on his temple. "You… would you do it again?"

"Do you want me to?" The stranger responded in a low voice.

"…Yes." Neji whispered. As soon as the word left his mouth, he found himself pushed roughly against the wall of the cave, a warm body pressed up against his front. A soft gasp was swallowed by the other male's mouth as the stranger sealed his lips over Neji's with a low growl.

The second their tongues met, Neji felt a fissure of pleasure reverberate throughout his entire body. He had been craving this for practically the entire day, and now it was _actually happening_. What was more, it was twice as good as Neji remembered it.

And it was only going to get better.

The bronzed stranger didn't hesitate in any of his movements. It was as if he couldn't decide what he wanted to touch first; Neji's hips, his ass, pulling up on of his legs and gripping his thigh- every new touch made the young prince hotter. Neji took his cues from the other man, running his hands down his chest, gripping his back tightly as their tongues dueled. Air was quickly become a necessity, but Neji was willing to put up with a few seconds of light-headedness if it meant that he could kiss the man for just a few seconds more.

At last, they broke apart. "Mmmm… may I ask you something?" Neji panted, tilting his head back and threading his fingers in the other male's shaggy brown hair.

"I already told you, I'm not a demon." The other male growled, sucking briefly at a spot below his ear. "My name is Kiba."

_Kiba_. Neji closed his eyes and arched back as the other male bit down on his neck. "That is- ah- not what I wanted to know."

"Then what?"

"Do you still have those ropes?" Neji murmured thickly, his eyes half lidded with lust. Kiba kissed his way along Neji's jawline until their lips met again, wet tongues tangling passionately as they ground against each other.

"Why?" The other male asked, sliding a hand down the back of Neji's pants and roughly squeezing a supple ass cheek.

"I want you to tie me up." Neji revealed breathlessly into the space between their mouths, lust overriding his senses and preventing him from feeling any sort of shame at his admission. He knew exactly what he wanted, so why not go all of the way and ask for it?

Kiba groaned deep in his throat, a visible shudder going through his body. Neji felt proud at being able to affect the other male like that.

Kiba tugged at Neji's shirt. "Take your clothes off, and get on the bed." He ordered, kissing the other male one last time before pulling away. Neji slumped back against the wall, his breath escaping him in harsh pants as he struggled to get himself together.

Once he was calm enough to move without tripping over himself, Neji hastened to discard his clothing quickly. The 'bed' consisted of the thick pile of furs that was situated along the right wall of the cave. Neji kneeled on it carefully, finding it to be much softer than he had thought it would be. Taking a deep breath, he waited patiently for the other male to comply with his request.

Truth be told, he was too turned on to be nervous. His blood was racing a mile a minute, and even though they had only been separated for a few seconds, he was already becoming impatient. This was exactly the distraction he had been looking for, and he was determined to see it through to the end.

_You asked for this._ He told himself firmly. _To back out now would only make you a coward._

Kiba dug around a pile of contraband being pulling out a long length of rope, which he quickly sliced to a proper size. His eyes wandered appreciatively over Neji's body as he returned to the other male, and he kissed him hotly as he knelt down on the furs in front of him.

"Turn around." Kiba told the other male. Neji did as he was told, shifting around until he was facing the cavern wall. Kiba pressed up close to his back, sliding the other male's hair over his shoulder. He kissed the side of the young prince's neck as he gathered Neji's wrists together and looped the coarse length of rope around them. He tied the ends together in a sturdy knot, securing it firmly.

The brunet grinned, reaching around the boy and grasping his chin, turning his head so their lips could meet over his shoulder. Neji moaned into the kiss as the other male pulled the restraints tighter.

Neji gasped as he was suddenly pushed face down onto the pile of furs. His legs were spread apart by the bronzed man behind him. He shivered as his most hidden orifice was exposed to the air, feeling unbelievably open. However, the slight embarrassment was not enough to give him doubts. As a matter of fact, the rough treatment was a welcome change from how everyone else treated him. Most of the time, people acted as if he was made out of glass. Even his sparring instructors acted as if he was a delicate instrument instead of a man, just as they were.

But not Kiba. He didn't seem to care if he hurt Neji or not. And now, with his face pressed into the ground and his wrists bound behind his back, Neji could not believe how _alive_ he felt.

He heard the sound of the other male unscrewing the top of the jar. A silky, musky scent filled the air, and he found himself relaxing slowly as it drifted over him. A slick finger circled around his entrance. Neji clenched his eyes shut as it breached the initial ring of muscle to push into the velvety heat. A low groan of pain escape his mouth when the stranger wasted no time waiting for him to adjust, pumping the finger in an out a few times before coating a second one and inserting it as well.

Neji's arms ached, but Kiba's fingers inside of him felt so impossibly good that he couldn't bring himself to care. He knew he shouldn't be doing this. He was a prince; he wasn't supposed to be fornicating on the floor of a cave in the woods with a strange man who he hadn't even known for a full day. However, the thought just served to make him hotter.

Neji whimpered as Kiba's fingers withdrew from his body, leaving him with a surprisingly empty feeling. His whimper turned into a throaty groan when Kiba grabbed his hair, winding it around his hand a few times before pulling him back up against his chest. With some quick maneuvering, Neji was on his back, his arm still secured behind him. The furs felt good against his skin, and he closed his eyes blissfully for a brief moment.

_This is it._ Neji thought to himself, breathlessly. _You are about to have sex for the first time in your life._ Neji had always thought that his first time would be awkward and joyless, instead of the wonderful experience the royal doctor, Kakashi, had always told him it would be. He had assumed that it would be with a girl, and purely for the sake of procreation.

Words could not describe how grateful he was of the fact that he had been wrong.

Neji's eyes snapped open once more at the feel of the other male's blunt tip at his entrance. His eyes briefly sought the other male's for comfort, and when he didn't find it, he focused on the ceiling above instead. It would be foolish to expect Kiba to treat him as anything but a sexual item. So he grit his teeth, forcing back a gasp as he was invaded in the most intimate of ways.

The other male's eyes were closed tightly as he pushed inside of the other male, sharp teeth worrying his bottom lip. "Tight…" Kiba groaned, his fingers digging into Neji's hips. Neji knew there would be bruises.

The other male paused once he was fully seated inside of the other male. His eyes finally met Neji's, and a sinful smirk spread across his face.

"Is this what you wanted?"

"Yes…." Neji breathed, struggling to voice everything he was feeling. "It's amazing." he finished, thick eyelashes fluttering as Kiba ducked his head, dragging his rough, wet tongue across on peaked pink nipple.

"Look at you. On your back, all spread out for me…" The tanned male said with a low groan and he pulled back, trailing his hand down Neji's abs and wrapping his fingers around his leaking cock. Neji arched up, his mouth opening in a silent gasp as Kiba stroked him languidly.

"And I'm the first person who is privileged enough to see you in this way, is that right?"

"Y-yes." The Hyuuga moaned, rocking up against the other male. There was no use in hiding his inexperience from the other male anymore, not when Kiba was already balls deep inside of him. Kiba didn't seemed to be at all turned off by this fact. If anything, it made his eyes darken even more.

"Hm." Kiba said, releasing Neji's cock in favor of lowering his body and bracing both of his forearms on either side of the restrained male's head. "Lucky me." He said, before kissing the other male hungrily. Neji responded with equal vigor, crying out into the other male's mouth when Kiba withdrew from his body, then slammed back in.

He continued with a pace that had both men panting within seconds. His thrusts were rough, bordering on brutal as he ravaged the paler male. Neji could do nothing but lie there as the intense feelings of ecstasy coursed through his body. He had never felt anything like this in his entire life. It feel so unimaginably good, and Neji never wanted it to end.

Kiba seemed to be exceptionally fond of kissing, as his lips only left Neji's for brief intervals before he was trying to slip his tongue inside the young prince's mouth once more. The Hyuuga certainly wasn't complaining, however; he enjoyed the feeling of being invaded so completely by the other male. More than once, he found his eyes slipping open to watch the other man's reactions.

A bead of sweat slid down the tan man's jawline as he pounded into the bound prince. Neji wanted to lick it off. He wanted to reach up and tangle his fingers into Kiba's chestnut hair, pull him closer and hear him pant in his ear. _Next time I will_, he promised himself, rolling his hips up against the other man as his cock slammed into a particularly sensitive spot inside his passage.

_Next time..._

The young prince quickly got lost in the tumultuous waves of ecstasy. Once he realized that he couldn't focus on anything for more than two seconds, he surrendered to the sensations, allowing Kiba to please him as he wanted. And Kiba took full advantage of this, making sure every hard thrust provided pleasure for both of them.

It was too much. Sensations rose like a storm inside of Neji, building upon itself until it spilled over. His eyes widened as his orgasm hit, his fingers curling behind his back as he practically screamed out his orgasm. Kiba came almost simultaneously, growling low in his throat as his hips jerked with his release.

Neji's eyes slid closed as he came down from his high, a sated smile spreading unbidden across his lips. His arms hurt, his hips ached, and he was sure that there were marks on his neck... but the young prince couldn't be happier. That… that was exactly what he wanted.

Kiba pulled out carefully, their breath intermingling as he continued to kiss the paler man. He exhaled slowly when they parted, brushing dark, sweaty strands of hair from Neji's forehead. Their eyes met, and Neji smiled at the man for the first time since they met. Kiba laughed, out of breath, and kissed the other man again.

"So…. a prince, huh?"


	4. Chapter IV

i don't own naruto, nor do i own the two william blake poems.

sorry for the wait guys! i am alive.

* * *

**Clandestine**

Chapter IV

* * *

**- o -**

It was daytime when Neji was awakened by a series of polite, yet firm, knocks on his bedroom door. Despite the fact that waking up was the last thing he wanted to do this morning, he managed to groggily force his eyes open. A stretch pulled him upward, then forced him to pause at the pleasant ache in his lower regions. A slow smile spread across his face at the remembrance of what had caused the sensation.

Last night had been phenomenal, and Neji could scarcely believe that it had actually happened. If it wasn't for how sore his body was, he would have assumed it had been a very, very detailed dream.

He slipped out of bed, grabbing a black silk dressing gown from the bedpost. A brief pause in front of his full-length mirror told him that he had not come out unscathed from the encounter. His wrists were raw and a dull red color from where the ropes had bit into his skin, and there were some definite bruises forming on his upper arms and hips from Kiba's rough handling.

Memories of last night assaulted his mind at the sight of the bruises, and Neji allowed himself to get lost in them for a brief moment. When the knocking resumed, Neji had enough presence of mind to throw on the robe before moving onward. He reached the door and opened it, revealing an apprehensive-looking ponytailed man on the other side.

"Hello, Shikamaru." Neji said, dreamy smile still present on his face.

The other male looked taken aback. Whatever reaction he thought Neji would have at seeing him, it wasn't this. But then again, he hadn't expected Neji to open the door in such a state, either.

The young prince was unaware of the sight he presented. Opalescent eyes half lidded, silky hair unbound and mussed, robe loosely wrapped around his shoulders, offering just a glimpse of a pale, sharp collarbone. Shikamaru swallowed heavily, momentarily forgetting what he was going to say and just staring at the other boy.

Neji cleared his throat. Shikamaru's eyes snapped up to the other male's, his cheeks darkening. "Uh… h-hello, Neji. How are you feeling this morning?"

"Wonderful." Neji sighed, pushing his hair back from his eyes. "And you?"

Shikamaru gave him an odd look, his nervousness melting away in favor of suspicion. "I am… fine, my prince." He said slowly, wondering what it was that had Neji in such a good mood.

"I am glad to hear it. What brings you to my chambers?"

The nervousness returned. "Well… I actually wanted to know if you were angry with me." Shikamaru said hesitantly.

_Angry at him?_ Neji thought, his blissful expression marred by a slight frown._ Why would I be…oh._

He had completely forgotten about the incident last night. The announcement at dinner, followed by the confession in the stairwell… it seemed like it had happened a million years ago. He remembered that he had been angry about it afterwards, but now for the life of him, he couldn't bring those feelings of anger back up.

He supposed that now that the shock had worn off, the situation wasn't all that bad. His best friend being in love with him seemed miniscule compared to the secret he was now carrying. As a matter of fact, it seemed downright silly. Neji had more… enjoyable things to spend time thinking about.

Besides, Shikamaru was most likely just confused about his feelings. _He is mistaking a small crush for full blown love, and it should wear off shortly._ Neji affirmed to himself confidently. _We are still young, after all. Sometimes our emotions get missed up._

With that thought firmly in mind, Neji graced Shikamaru with an affectionate smile. "No, Shikamaru. I am not angry. I was just a little… surprised, that is all."

The younger male looked immensely relieved. He scratched the back of his head, still apparently having trouble looking upon the Hyuuga without blushing. "So… may I… I mean, if you do not mind…"

Despite the other boy's inability to get the words out, Neji knew exactly what Shikamaru was asking, and certainly didn't see why not. He himself had 'courted' at least a dozen girls, and none of them had ended in marriage. This would be a similar occurrence. Shikamaru would soon realize that he'd rather be friends with Neji than lovers, and things wold go back to the way they were before. But for now, if courting him made Shikamaru happy, then why not?

"If you wish." Neji said, lifting his shoulder in an elegant shrug.

That same joyful grin that had graced Shikamaru's face last night after he had been given Hiashi's approval returned. He looked as if he were about to hug Neji, but then wisely stepped back. "Thank you. I… um, I assume I will see you at lunch, then?"

"Of course."

* * *

**- o -**

They met once every couple of days.

Neji would always receive a subtle signal, usually one of the smaller wolves casually nosing into the castle gardens while Neji was outside during the day. At night, he would follow the same wolf straight towards the cave, because both of them knew full well that he'd get lost on his own.

Once there, Neji would spend a few scorchingly pleasurable hours with the tanned brunet, engaging in acts that were decidedly unfit for a prince. Once their passion had abated, at least for the time being, Neji would unhurriedly take his leave, sneak back into the castle, and sleep until lunchtime. Afterwards, he and Shikamaru would spend the afternoon together.

Shikamaru would always ask Neji what he wished to do that day; and Neji would always let Shikamaru choose, because truthfully, the only thing he really wanted to do was spend more time with Kiba.

After that first day, the two young men never really spoke about the fact that one was supposed to be courting the other, of which Neji was grateful for. There were no vestiges of a normal courtship- no gifts, no flowers, no dancing or anything in that vein. Their relationship had, essentially, stayed the same; just two boys spending time together, doing whatever it was that struck their fancy for the moment.

Shikamaru had more or less returned to normal. He was just as lazy and uninterested as he had been before that night- that is, uninterested in everything but Neji. Although he was nowhere near obsessive, Neji could tell that something had changed in the other boy. He was a lot freer around Neji, now that he didn't have the weight of his announcement bearing down upon his shoulders. He complimented Neji without restraint. During meals, he sat closer to the young prince than what was deemed acceptable. It even seemed that he was trying to improve his posture for the young prince, which had always been abysmal at best.

These small changes were by no means unwelcome, and in fact, if Neji chose to admit it to himself, they were somewhat endearing. He was glad that he had given the other male permission to court him- otherwise, who knows what sort of state Shikamaru would be in right now? No to mention the fact that denying him would have created a serious rift in their friendship, and Neji certainly didn't want that. Despite the fact that he wasn't in love with Shikamaru, he would still miss the other boy terribly if they ever did have an emotional parting of ways.

Neji's father had questioned him briefly about the fact that he had sporadically been missing breakfast for a little over two weeks now, but Neji had just waved him off and changed the subject. He did feel bad about making his father worry, but since he knew that in actuality, there was really nothing wrong with him, he didn't feel_ too_ bad.

Neji's own sexual appetite had somehow increased as a result of their frequent couplings. What had used to be non-existent for him now made up for a good percentage of his life. Whenever he had time to himself, he spent it thinking about Kiba… or, more specifically, the things he and Kiba did together. He found himself supposing that it was not really the thought of Kiba that made his blood quicken; but rather, Kiba's body and the things he could do with it.

After all, he didn't go to the man for companionship; he had plenty of that at home.

* * *

**- o -**

"Mmm." Neji moaned softly as he took another bite of Hinata's lovingly prepared noontime snack. "This tastes heavenly, Hinata."

Across from him, Hanabi nodded in agreement, unable to speak because her mouth was stuffed full of the bread and honey. The three Hyuuga siblings, along with Shikamaru, were seated on a blanket atop a flower hill, in the midst of a relaxing midday picnic. Hinata had made most of the food herself, despite objections from the castle chefs. Neji, and the other two picnic-goers were glad she did; though the Hyuuga chefs were some of the finest in the land, Hinata's cooking had always managed to outshine theirs.

"Th-thank you, Neji!" The younger Hyuuga clapped her hands together, beaming brightly at the compliment. "The h-honey is imported from Suna."

"It is delicious." Neji wiped his mouth properly when he was finished chewing. "By any chance, would you happen to have some more?"

"Of c-course!" Hinata exclaimed. "I will get you a j-jar right away."

Neji gave her a warm smile. "Thank you."

The afternoon passed pleasantly, with idle small talk and more delicious treats made by Hinata. They spoke about Hanabi's schooling, and how nice of a teacher Professor Umino was. Shikamaru regaled to them an amusing tale about an unorthodox jester he met during his travels, that was apparently chased out of Kumogakure because he only told perverted jokes. A solemn conversation was had between Hinata and Neji about their father's health.

They were just about to have dessert when Shikamaru set down his tray, a mischievous smile on his face.

"So, Hinata." He started, his voice a light teasing tone that suggested what he was about to say was more than just an innocent statement. "I take it you had a very enjoyable afternoon yesterday."

"W-why would you s-say that?" The girl asked curiously, daintily taking a small sip from a ornately decorated ceramic teacup.

"Well, I may be mistaken," Shikamaru started, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "But I believe I saw you and a certain blond haired boy spending time out on the lake."

Hinata immediately turned bright red with embarrassment. "That- It wasn't-" She stammered, her opalescent eyes wide as she nervously glanced toward Neji, who had frozen just as he was about to take the final bite of his meal.

"Naruto certainly is very talented, isn't he? Being able to row a boat and kiss you at the same time."

"He was WHAT!" Neji growled, too outraged to finish his biscuit.

"N-no, I-" Hinata was blushing so hard that she couldn't even look at her half brother. Her hands were shaking so bad that portions of the tea in her cup were splashing out and landing on her dress. "I- w-we were just-"

"They were kissing by the stables too! I saw it!" Hanabi chimed in with a wicked grin on her face.

Hinata shot her a look of horror. "_H-Hanabi!_"

"I will kill him." Neji announced, carefully removing the tray from his lap before jumping up, intent on doing just that. Or at least he was, until Shikamaru wrapped his fingers around his wrist and tugged him back down. Neji grumbled, but allowed his friend to placate him.

"Come on, Neji." The younger male drawled. "She is practically an adult. I think she should be allowed to kiss whomever she wants, don't you?"

"No." Neji sniffed, crossing his arms across his chest.

Shikamaru chuckled and wrapped an arm around Neji's waist. Neji barely even noticed the action, and when he did, he found that he didn't really mind it all that much. The Nara turned his attention back to Hinata.

"My apologies, Princess, I was only teasing. But I do think you should be more careful from now on."

"I will." Hinata squeaked, chancing a cautious look towards Neji. He shot her a disapproving look in return. She jumped and hid her face behind her hands.

"Who wants dessert?" Hanabi asked cheerfully.

* * *

**- o -**

"Mmm…"

Kiba's thick groan hung heavily in the air above them. Neji shifted against the other male, withdrawing his honey and saliva coated fingers from the other male's lips.

"Is it good?" He questioned huskily, drawing his fingers down Kiba's bottom lip.

"Yesss…" The other male hissed when Neji ground his hips down. Neji smirked, then carefully set the jar of honey on the floor of the cave.

"Mmm." Neji leaned down, his eyes half lidded as the focused on the other male's mouth. "I want a taste."

He kissed the other brunet fiercely, savoring the taste of the rich honey on the other man's tongue. Kiba groaned, responding hungrily and aching to reach up and run his fingers through Neji's hair, but unable too because of the restraints Neji had finally talked the other male into wearing. He instinctively arched up when the kiss broke, seeking Neji's lips once more, but the young prince pushed him back down with a teasing smile. He found that he enjoyed having this much power over the other male.

Picking up the jar once more, Neji dipped a finger into the golden substance, and then, moving his body downward in an achingly slow slide, spread a sticky trail across Kiba's left nipple. He blew on the peak briefly, making Kiba hiss, before licking up the trail with his tongue.

A repeat performance with the thief's right nipple had the larger man rocking up against his restraints. "Neji-"

"Hm?" The Hyuuga asked innocently, moving his body down even lower. A sweet golden trail down the center of Kiba's chest was lapped up in slow, unhurried strokes. The smooth planes of his abs were next, then the hollow of his navel. Following that were the lines of his hipbones. Neji nipped gently at the skin right above the other male's erection, casting his eyes upwards with a teasing smirk. Sweat broke out along the other male's temple, and he attempted to push his hips upward, but the young prince held him down with a surprising amount of strength.

Kiba watched through glassy eyes as the other brunet carefully tipped the jar over the crown of his cock. A thick trail of honey oozed out onto his erection, sliding decadently down the shaft before pooling in dark curls.

Neji set the jar down, staring at the other male's erection with a look that could only be described as ravenous. He leaned forward and licked the head of Kiba's honey coated shaft, savoring the taste of his two favorite indulgences before drawing back. His eyes met Kiba's once more, and his smirk grew wider.

"You are going to be the death of me." Kiba breathed.

From the lustily dark look in the Hyuuga's eyes, it was obvious that he agreed.

* * *

**- o -**

_"My silks and fine array,_

_My smiles and languish'd air,_

_By love are driv'n away;_

_And mournful lean despair_

_Brings me yew to deck my grave:_

_Such end true lovers have."_

A fine afternoon in early summer had Shikamaru and Neji out by the lake, relaxing in the shade of a tree and taking turns reading poetry aloud from a book. Neji was lying on his back, his head resting in Shikamaru's lap as he listened to the other boy read. He was enjoying himself immensely; he and Shikamaru had a mutual love for literature, unlike Hanabi, who thought it was boring, or Hinata, who would try reading it aloud for Neji's sake but often stuttered over the words and would quit shortly afterwards because of embarrassment.

_Shikamaru_ _has a nice voice_, he thought absently, watching the clouds drift past.

_"His face is fair as heav'n,_

_When springing buds unfold;_

_O why to him was't giv'n,_

_Whose heart is wintry cold?_

_His breast is love's all worship'd tomb,_

_Where all love's pilgrims come."_

Shikamaru turned the page. A soft breeze rustled by, blowing a single, jade colored leaf past Neji's face. He reached up and snatched it from the air with two fingers.

Despite the fact that it was a warm spring afternoon, Neji was clad in a dark colored, long-sleeved top. He and Kiba had been getting more and more… adventurous with each encounter, and the proof of that was in the marks on Neji's body. He was quickly accumulating a large collection of scratches, lovebites, and bruises on his neck, chest, even his arms. The young prince didn't mind them; on the contrary, looking at them in the mirror sent an undeniable thrill throughout his body. Walking through the halls, sitting at the dinner table, knowing that he had a dirty little secret that no single person knew about... he loved the feeling. He was in control of something for the first time in his life, and he enjoyed the fact immensely.

Truth be told, if Shikamaru wasn't in love with and courting Neji, then the young prince probably would have told the other boy about his secret by now. He'd hidden things from his family before- like the fact the he often snuck out of the castle at night to go down to the village- but never from Shikamaru.

He thought about the marks now. It nearly made him shiver, the idea that the only thing separating Shikamaru's eyes from the marks on his skin was a thin article of clothing. That, if Shikamaru wanted to, he could lift up his shirt and see for himself the things Kiba did to his body…

But Neji knew that Shikamaru would never do such a thing, at least not without asking permission. That was the difference between Shikamaru and Kiba. Kiba was a taker, and Shikamaru wasn't.

Neji sometimes found himself wondering how different things would be if he had grown up with Kiba, and if it had been Shikamaru he had met in the woods. The thought was completely ludicrous, of course, and Neji had had a good laugh over it the first time it had hit him, but it was an interesting idea to consider. Would Kiba still be as brusque and untamed as he is now if he had had a proper upbringing? If Shikamaru had been forced to into a life of thievery and homelessness, moving from cave to cave every couple of weeks, would he still be the same lazy genius?

And what about Neji himself? If he hadn't been born a prince, would he still have the same intense craving for freedom?

_"Bring me an axe and spade,_

_Bring me a winding sheet;_

_When I my grave have made,_

_Let winds and tempests beat:_

_Then down I'll lie, as cold as clay,_

_True love doth pass away."_

Neji realized with a start that Shikamaru had finished reading, and was now giving him an odd look. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." Neji said, banishing those thoughts from his mind for a later time. He didn't know why the thought of Shikamaru viewing Kiba's marks of possession made his blood run hot, but he deciding that now was not the time to find out. "I was just… daydreaming, that is all."

"You have been doing that a lot lately." Shikamaru said, concerned.

"Have I?" Neji responded carelessly. "Let me choose the next one."

Shikamaru passed the book to Neji, who held it up over his face and flicked through the pages. He then cleared his throat, and read:

_"__He who binds to himself a joy, _ _Doth the wingéd life destroy._ _He who kisses the joy as it flies,_ _Lives in eternity's sunrise." _

"Is that all?" Shikamaru asked, taking the book back and examining the poem.

"Yes."

"For a Prince, you are astoundingly uncultured." The other boy teased.

"How kind of you to notice." Neji responded good-naturedly, throwing his arm back over his head. Shikamaru smiled warmly at him, and Neji couldn't help but smile back.

The moment was cut short for the young prince, however, when the Nara's eyes flickered down to his neck. Neji watched with panic as Shikamaru's hand drifted down to the collar of his shirt. His own hand shot up and grabbed the other boy's fingers just as they were about to reach the fabric, his ivory eyes wide.

Shikamaru's smile faltered. He misunderstood Neji's alarm as disgust, and he pulled his hand away with a remorseful look in his eyes.

"Your collar is crooked. I was just going to…" He trailed off. "I am sorry. I should not have-"

"It is okay." Neji said hurriedly, sitting up and smoothing down his collar himself. His heart was racing. If Shikamaru had pulled his collar down, he would have seen….

Neji shook his head, getting to his feet. Shikamaru looked up worriedly. "Neji-"

"I do not feel like reading poetry anymore."

Shikamaru's face fell. "I… understand." He said lowly.

Neji took pity on the other male. It wasn't Shikamaru's fault that Neji had something to hide from him.

He leaned down, offering a hand to his friend.

"Come. Let us go over to the orchards. I am hungry for a midday snack."

* * *

**- o -**

"Nnnnng… Kiba…"

"Mm. Say it again."

"_Kiba…_" Neji moaned, curling his fingers around the other man's stubbled chin and turning his face towards him. He licked a long, wet stripe of saliva up the red fang tattoo on his cheek.

Kiba groaned deep in his throat, hungrily capturing the other male's lips with his own as he continued to stroke him. They kissed passionately, Neji's fingers digging into the other male's skin as his orgasm hit. He arched back, and Kiba took advantage of his position to attach the pale stretch of skin on his neck with bites and kisses as the young prince's essence spilled out over his fingers.

Kiba lowered the other male to the pile of furs, still ravaging his neck as Neji came down from his high. He himself had come down Neji's throat only five minutes prior, so he was content with just sampling the young prince's delicious flesh. Neji allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts as the other male's ministrations sent enjoyable shocks of pleasure throughout his body.

They didn't talk about their lives outside of the cave. Of course, Neji was definitely curious as to why the man was living in a cave in the first place, and he still wasn't completely convinced that the man wasn't a demon, but he felt as if those were questions that would put a severe damper on the mood of the cave. Their trysts were hot and passionate, to be sure, but when they were finished they usually just laid in comfortable silence until one of them made a move to get up.

Neji liked Kiba well enough. He was no longer scared of the other male, and Kiba showed no hostility towards him. He always called Neji, "Neji", and not "Your Majesty", "My Lord", or anything else that everyone outside of the royal family addressed him as (even Shikamaru was guilty of this).

But the problem was, he didn't really _know_ Kiba. Sometimes Neji would try to see if he could figure out some sort information about the scarred male, some subtle hints about his personality. The only conclusions he had managed to come to were things that were blatantly obvious: one, Kiba was a thief, and two, he liked wolves and sex.

He wasn't sure where this odd desire to learn about the other male had come from. Perhaps it was the realization that he had spent all of this time with who was, essentially, still a stranger.

After about ten minutes had passed, Kiba slapped him playfully on the rear, drawing him from his thoughts.

"You'd better get going." He murmured into Neji's ear, giving the shell a sharp nip before rising from the bed. The other male nodded automatically, but sat up hesitantly, his eyes seeking out the other male's.

Kiba was in the process of pulling on a pair of pants when he noticed that the other man hadn't moved from his position.

"Is something wrong?"

Neji could have asked him, then. _What do you do during the day? Why do you live here? Where did you get all of those scars?_

But he didn't want to accidentally ruin what they had. Kiba had never volunteered information about his past, and Neji didn't want to pry. Kiba's life was none of his business.

The thief tilted his head to the side, seemingly waiting for something. Neji looked up at the other male, his expression unreadable.

"No… nothing." Neji turned away, reaching for his own clothing.

He missed the disappointed look that briefly flashed across Kiba's face.

* * *

**- o -**

The sun was a round ball of blazing colors as it sank slowly past the horizon, turning the sky pink and the clouds maroon as it neared the end of it's daily journey. Neji watched with rapt attention. Shikamaru was next to him, more enchanted by his companion than the bright display of nature in front of him. They were pressed snugly together, shoulder to shoulder, in the window of the highest tower of the castle.

Neji sighed in happiness, leaning forward on the sill. "I love sunsets." He stated simply.

Shikamaru nodded in agreement, finally tearing his eyes away from the young prince to watch the last rays of light disappear behind the hills. "Yes, myself as well. When I was in Kiri, it rained all of the time. I missed Konoha's sunsets every evening I was there." He said softly.

"What business does your father have in Kirigakure?" Neji questioned politely.

To his surprise, Shikamaru actually looked embarrassed. "Troublesome…" He mumbled, turning away from the other boy.

"What? Why?" Neji asked articulately.

"It was before I told my parent that I wanted to court you… before I even thought of it, actually. My mother is friends with a widow there by the name of Mei Terumi, who has four teenage daughters. They thought it would be a good idea to send me there for a few months to see if I took to any of them."

Neji stifled a laugh behind his hand. "And what happened?"

Shikamaru groaned at the memory. "It was insanity. There were over four girls fighting over me at all hours of the day. Apparently, in Kiri, there is a severe lack of males who don't possess teeth like a shark's."

"Over four?" Neji questioned. Shikamaru's cheeks darkened.

"Their mother showed an unhealthy amount of interest in me as well."

Neji snorted, then clasped a hand over his mouth. _Kiba is starting to be an awful influence on me_, he thought, frowning at the involuntary reaction. Fortunately, Shikamaru didn't notice.

"After a month, I sent a letter to my parents expressing my displeasure, then hitched a ride back to Konoha the very same day. My mother was upset, but my father thought it was hilarious."

"How selfish of you." Neji chided with a smile. "Most men would kill to have been in your position."

"I wish they did." Shikamaru responded flatly.

"So how was-"

"I actually do not wish to talk about it any longer." Shikamaru cut him off, still looking exceptionally embarrassed.

Neji laughed, and then, after fighting with himself about it for a few seconds, leaned his head on Shikamaru's shoulder. The other boy looked surprised, but then raised an arm to gently wrap around Neji's back, resting his hand on Neji's forearm.

They stood their for several more minutes, watching the sky darken and the stars appear. Standing there, staring out at the forest with Shikamaru at his side, Neji felt a strange sort of serenity within him. He felt comfortable, almost at peace, as if this was where he belonged.

The feeling dissipated when he spotted a lone wolf nosing around in the garden. A smile tugged at his lips, before he looked over at Shikamaru. "We should go wash up for dinner." He suggested, and the other male wholeheartedly agreed. They left the tower swiftly, the small smile still on Neji's lips.

While it was true that the young prince did have a fondness for sunsets, lately it had been the idea of what lay waiting for him after night fall that attracted him.

* * *

**- o -**

"I… I do not think this is a good idea."

"Come on… you'll like it, I promise." The bronzed man lied through his canines, wisely deciding not to voice his thoughts. _He will probably scream and fall off. Not many people can handle riding a wolf like Akamaru._

"I really do not-"

"All you have to do is hold on to him. He'll take care of the rest."

Akamaru nudged Neji's hand in agreement. Neji absent-mindedly stroked the large wolf behind the ear, still worrying his lower lip in uncertainty. "Are you… sure?"

Kiba gave him a pointed look. "Of course I am. You want to get here quicker, don't you?"

Neji nodded. Akamaru brushed up against him once more with a low rumbling noise.

"Soo… get on." Kiba said impatiently, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

Neji looked from Akamaru to the other male, then back again. Akamaru looked up at him, his tail wagging excitedly. The Hyuuga sighed.

He placed his hands on Akamaru's strong upper back, then swung a leg over the wolf's body. He pulled himself upright so he was fully seated on the animal.

"That's not so bad, right?"

"I guess not." Neji admitted, threading his fingers through the surprisingly soft fur on the base of Akamaru's neck. The animal whined.

"Good." Kiba grinned. Then he pulled his hand back and delivered a hard slap to Akamaru's backside.

Immediately, the wolf took off through the forest. Neji yelped and threw himself forward to avoid getting thrown off, his arms wrapping around Akamaru's neck. Bushes and trees raced passed them in a blur as the wolf sprinted through the forest. Neji's knees dug into the wolf's sides as he held on for dear life.

Contrary to Neji's original thoughts, it was nothing like riding a horse. There were no reins, no saddle. A horse was a trained beast, instructed to go where it's rider wanted it to go. Akamaru was not. He ran as fast as fast as he wanted too, in whatever direction he wanted too, and Neji could do nothing but hang on tightly as the wolf took him for a ride.

The initial shock faded quickly. Akamaru must have only gone about 100 meters before Neji was hesitantly opening his eyes and lessening his grip on the wolf. He raised his head slowly, his hair whipping about with the force of the wind. He ducked briefly to avoid a low hanging branch, then returned his gaze to the road ahead- or rather, the lack of. Akamaru darted and weaved between trees and bushes, leapt over logs and boulders, with seemingly no destination in mind.

A short giggle escaped Neji's lips as he leaned forward, embracing this newfound freedom head on. It was incredibly terrifying, shooting through the forest, but it was also the most fun Neji had had in his entire life. The wind, though it stung at his eyes, felt good on his face. Every turn made him gasp. Every jump made him hold his breath in anticipation, his heart pounding in his chest.

By the time Akamaru arrived back at Kiba's side, he had broken out into peals of joyous laughter.

Neji collapsed forward onto Akamaru's back as the wolf slowed to a stop in front of the bronzed man, gasping for breath between his laughs. Tears gathered in his eyes as his giggles echoed off of the trees around them. As soon as he got some of his breath back, he wrapped his arms around Akamaru's neck in a loving hug.

Kiba, who had been patiently waiting for the two of them to return, had pushed off of the the tree he had been leaning on as soon as he heard Akamaru's thunderous approach. However, he had been shocked to see Neji in the state he was in. Staring at the jubilant prince, he realized that despite the fact that they had been spending nearly ever night together for the past three weeks, he had never once seen Neji laugh.

The young prince closed his eyes as his laughter finally subsided, resting his head on Akamaru's back. "You were right, Kiba." He murmured delightedly.

Kiba snapped out of his trance. He stepped forward and helped the young prince off of his friend, catching Neji in his arms when the other male stumbled and fell against him. "Right about what?" He asked hoarsely.

"I did like it." Neji raised his head to look at the thief, his eyes full of mirth. "Perhaps I shall start visiting Akamaru during nightfall, instead of you."

Kiba stared as Neji started snickering to himself. Then he found himself joining in, until the two men were leaning on each other for support, laughing for all of the world to hear.

* * *

**- o -**

"So…" Neji began, after thoughtfully chewing a bite of roast pork. "What you are saying is, the world is round."

Shikamaru nodded, setting his fork down. They were at dinner, seated beside each other as they had been for the last few weeks. "Yes."

"And what, pray tell, is keeping us from falling off?"

"Gravity."

"And this 'grafity'… where does it come from?" Neji asked, frowning in confusion.

"It doesn't come from anywhere." Shikamaru chuckled. "It is just… there."

"Well, how does one get rid of it? Is it a curse?"

The Nara was about to answer him when his mini science lesson was interrupted by the king. Hiashi cleared his throat, giving Shikamaru a meaningful look. "Shikamaru, how is your courtship going?"

Neji winced at the question. Although it was a welcome change from the inquiries about his health, the young prince wished that people would stop bringing up the fact that he was being courted by Shikamaru, instead of just spending an exorbitant amount of time with him.

Truth be told, these past few weeks Neji had all but forgotten that he was being courted by Shikamaru. It felt as if they were just hanging out, as they used too, only with some subtle touches on Shikamaru's part every now and then. An arm around his waist, the soft brush of his fingers against his cheek… After a few days, Neji had found that he didn't even really mind Shikamaru touching him the way he did. He supposed that over the years, he had become so comfortable around the other male that nothing really phased him.

"Very well, your highness." Shikamaru responded. Neji nodded at his side, plastering a convincing smile on his face.

"Excellent." Hiashi looked pleased. "And there have been no… fountain incidents, I hope?"

Shikamaru disguised a laugh as a sneeze. Neji graciously passed him a napkin, smirking on the inside. "None whatsoever, father." He said, taking a sip from his wineglass.

"Wonderful, just wonderful." Hiashi clapped his hands together. " So when should we start planning for the wedding?"

Neji nearly spit out his drink.

Instead he swallowed properly, elbowing Shikamaru in the ribs so he would keep his mouth shut. "We are not exactly ready for that yet, father." He said as pleasantly as he could.

The other male didn't heed Neji's warning. Shikamaru gave him a look that was halfway between amused and annoyed. "And why is that, sweetheart?" He asked innocently, knowing full well that the pet name would only serve to irritate the other boy.

Neji gritted his teeth. "Because… we still have a great deal of things to do before… before that. We are not even _engaged_ yet, Shikamaru." He told the other boy, his tone venomously sweet. He had been so distracted these past couple of weeks that he had forgotten his father actually expected a marriage to come out of this situation.

"That can be remedied with little effort, _darling_." Shikamaru responded teasingly.

Neji narrowed his eyes at the other boy. _Let it go, Shikamaru. _He warned mentally, knowing that if his father caught wind of any reluctance on his part, he would undoubtedly begin to pressure his only son into commencing with the engagement.

The other male arched an eyebrow, but thankfully, decided to drop the subject. He sent Neji a look that promised it would be brought up again very, very soon, then leaned back in his chair with a rueful sigh. "Unfortunately, Neji is correct, my king. We still have a while to go before we can start planning our wedding."

"Oh." Hiashi looked disappointed. "Well… alright, then. Just do not take too long." He joked weakly.

"We won't, father." Neji lied.

The remainder of the dinner passed without incident. As a reward for not pressing the issue, Neji let Shikamaru hold his hand under the table for the rest of the meal. Hinata had accidentally dropped her fork, and she nearly squealed aloud from excitement after seeing their hands clasped together when she went down to retrieve it before a servant could.

Afterwards, Shikamaru walked Neji to his bedroom, then bade him goodnight at the door, as a proper gentleman should. Neji watched him walk down the hallway, smiling a bit when he saw the other boy resume his customary slouch when he though he was alone. He entered his room quietly, intent on taking a quick nap before he got up again.

Kiba would be waiting for him tonight. And tomorrow, he would have lunch with his sisters, then spend the afternoon in the library with Shikamaru.

He had his family, his best friend, and a lust-filled thief all clamoring for his attention.

How could things get any better?


	5. Chapter V

i'm so sorry for the wait everyone!

* * *

**Clandestine**

Chapter V

* * *

**- o -**

It was never a good idea to daydream while in the presence of the king. It was an even _worse_ idea to do it if you happened to be the king's son, sitting right next to him, and _supposed _to be paying attention to the conflict going on in front of you.

However, in Neji's defense, it wasn't entirely his fault. He had focused all of his attention on the first ten or so townspeople who had come to speak to his father, and had offered advice when asked. However, the current guests, two farmers who were arguing about something or other, were the ones who provided Neji with the gateway to his less than proper thoughts. From what Neji had gathered, the second man was filing a complaint against the first one, because his dog had gotten out and killed two of the second man's pigs. Prior to this explanation, Neji had only been halfway paying attention; however, as soon as Neji had heard the word _dog_, he had immediately thought of wolves, which, of course, led to thoughts of Kiba.

It was early afternoon, and the young prince was seated to the right of his father's throne. Many years ago, Hiashi had decided that he wanted to be more inviting to his people- so he came up with the idea of these weekly meetings. Every Saturday, the castle would be open to the townspeople for approximately three hours. During that time, the people of Konoha were permitted to hold an audience with him, and tell him of their problems and concerns.

Make no mistake: Neji was not here voluntarily. He had known as soon as he had entered the dining hall that afternoon (ten minutes late for lunch after having slept through breakfast, what had now become the current trend for him) that his father wanted to speak with him; and sure enough, once the meal was over Hiashi had told Neji that his presence was required in the throne room that afternoon.

And that was how he ended up here, struggling to remain interested in the petty problems of the villagers but finally giving up and allowing more… scandalous thoughts to enter his mind. After only a few minutes, Neji was so deep in his daydream that he didn't even hear the first time Hiashi called his name. Nor the second time.

The third time was accompanied by a sharp poke in his arm by Kotetsu, who was stationed at the young prince's right side, as usual. "Neji!" The guard hissed.

"Hm?" Neji snapped out of his daydream, shooting a questioning glance at the other man. Kotetsu gestured to Hiashi, who was looking at his son sternly.

Neji smiled politely. "Yes, father?"

"I asked you what your thoughts on this quarrel were."

"Oh." Neji turned to look at the two farmers, who were still glaring at one another. Furrowing his brow, the young prince scraped together everything he had retained from the situation. After thinking for a brief moment, he spoke.

"You, on the left- give the other one two of your finest pigs. And the one on the right- yes, you- put up a fence around your property."

Hiashi looked surprised, and rightly so. "A… fair judgement." He said, clearly having expected Neji to not be able to offer a response.

"Indeed." Hitomiko nodded in agreement, turning back to the villagers. "Carry out Prince Neji's orders." Upon hearing these words, the man on the left looked as if he wanted to argue, but the two were quickly escorted out before another word could be said. Neji sighed in relief, sinking down in his chair a bit.

It wasn't often that he was required to sit in during these meetings, but when he did, he found that they were incredibly dull. Most of the problems the villagers brought to light before then king were small issues that could have been settled by the local law enforcement. Neji suspected that many of them opted to make the journey just so they could see inside the castle.

Of course, his sisters weren't required to attend these meetings. Neji glanced toward the window with a wistful sigh, knowing that they were somewhere out there now, enjoying the warm summer day while he was stuck inside.

A low cough drew him back to his current setting. Ibiki Morino, the head of his father's army, shot him a disapproving look from across the room. Neji frowned, but stopped himself from falling into another daydream.

"Tokuma." Hiashi spoke. "Send the last guests in. Tell everyone else that they will have to come back next week."

The aid nodded and went to retrieve the next villagers in line. Shortly afterward, a man and a woman entered the throne room, with Tokuma following close behind. They approached the throne slowly, as the man was walking with a noticeable limp and needed his wife's help. They bowed when they reached the steps leading up to where the royal family sat. Hiashi nodded back at them.

"What is it that you wish to speak with me about?" Hiashi asked.

"Honorable king," The man started, bowing once more. "My name is Homura Mitokado, and this is my wife Koharu. I am here to report to you an assailment that occurred while I was traveling through the woods."

_The woods?_ Neji straightened up in his chair.

"I was coming home from Otogakure a fortnight ago when I was attacked by a large group of wolves. As odd as this may sound, they stole everything of value I had on me… all of my money, my tools, even a ring I had purchased as a gift to my wife."

Neji gripped the arm of his chair tightly. _This… it couldn't have been..._

"A large group of wolves, you say." Hiashi repeated emotionlessly. Not because he was unaffected by the story- but because it was nowhere near the first time he had heard a story like this. For the past three weeks, reports of wolf robberies had practically become a staple of the weekly meetings.

Neji recognized his father's detached response for what it actually was, and it made his heart sink in his chest. _If father is not surprised, then that means..._

Homura took the king's expression for disbelief, and took a shaky step forward.

"Please, my king, you have to believe me! No less than seven wolves attached my carriage… and when I struggled, one of them…" He trailed off, looking queasy at only the memory.

"One of them..?" Hitomiko prompted gently.

Homura took a deep breath, then gathered the material of his cloak at his thighs and lifted it. Neji's eyes widened as the man's left leg came into view; or rather, the absence of his left leg. In its place was a prosthetic leg carved from wood. The sound of it had been muffled by the carpet.

"It had to be amputated." His wife explained quietly, rubbing her husband's back in a comforting manner.

"I… I see." Hiashi said. He exchanged a dark look with Hitomiko.

A bead of sweat slid down the side of Neji's face. Subconsciously, he had known all along that the attacks were continuing. There would be large piles of gold and jewels in the cave one day, then gone the next. Some nights, he would see the younger wolves hanging around outside of the cave with blood around their mouths, yet no food in sight. It had unsettled him, but he had ignored it for the most part, too eager to be with Kiba to stop and question him about the company he kept.

The man's wife looked over at him, and Neji found that he could not meet her gaze. Though he had nothing to do with the attack, he felt as if he had done it himself.

_How could you be so cold-hearted? Your villagers are being terrorized, and you are sleeping with the man who is doing it._ The thought nearly made Neji's heart stop. Though he wasn't enabling Kiba, he wasn't exactly standing in his way, either. He was basically giving the man free rein to do whatever he pleased.

_You are a prince, Neji. _He told himself, worrying his lower lip with his teeth as sick guilt flooded his mind. _You have had the power to stop this all along and yet you have done nothing._

"Homura, Koharu," Hiashi stood up, signaling for Tokuma to re-open the doors. "I thank you for bringing this to my attention. Make a list of the things that were stolen and I will have you reimbursed for them. In addition, write a letter informing my court how your business will be affected by your disability, and they will figure out what sort of additional compensation shall be awarded to you."

The couple bowed once more in gratitude. "Thank you, my king."

They were quickly escorted out by Tokuma. As soon as the doors shut behind them, Hiashi visibly deflated. He pressed a weary hand to his temple, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"These robberies cannot go on like this." He spoke after a long moment, his voice grave. "Never, in all my years as ruler, have I seen a situation as bad as this."

He shot a beseeching look towards Ibiki. "Have you not found anything? No clues, no leads?"

Ibiki shook his head. "Nothing at all, your majesty." He responded gruffly. "We have searched everywhere in a seven mile radius around the village and haven't found a single thing. Whoever is doing this… they are extremely clever. They know not to leave any clues."

"You will simply have to send out more men, then." Hitomiko responded sharply. "We cannot have our people confined to the village out of fear. The economy will suffer."

"Our army is stretched thin as it is, Queen Hitomiko." Ibiki said as politely as he could. "We have three guards escorting every nobleman who goes in and out of the castle, as well as squads patrolling every entrance and exit to the village. Not to mention the number of men we are required to keep here, in case of an attack."

"We will have to call for a draft." Hiashi muttered. Neji risked a shaky glance over to his father, and found that he looked incredibly pained. The sight only made his guilt worsen.

"No. We are not nearly that desperate." Hitomiko said firmly. "Offer a reward instead. Three bags of gold to anyone who has any information on these attacks." The Queen ordered, directing her attention onto Ibiki. "Put up signs around the village. I will have a royal decree written up stating that no one is to travel alone or unarmed until this whole mess is taken care of."

"Yes, my Queen." Ibiki bowed, then took his leave.

Neji straightened up in his chair, getting ready to leave as well. He felt no better than he had moments ago, when faced with the very real proof of Kiba's actions, but he knew that sitting around feeling guilt would not solve anything. He should have known all along that the attacks were continuing. He had allowed himself to be blinded by lust, and in doing so, endangered the people of his kingdom.

Neji might have had been willing to conveniently 'forget' about the attacks while he was with Kiba, but he wasn't heartless. _I must talk to him tonight,_ He told himself, standing up from his seat.

"Where are you going, Neji?"

Neji turned to face his father, surprise written across his features. Hiashi would usually allow him to go out and carry on with his day once the meetings were finished.

"I am supposed to meet Shikamaru by the lake." He told his father carefully, unwilling to start an argument, given the tone of the room.

"I will send word to Shikamaru that you will be unable to see him this afternoon."

Neji frowned. "And why is that, father?"

"Neji… I am sorry, but I am going to have to insist that you pay a visit to Doctor Hatake."

The young prince's eyes widened. _W-what?_

"That is really quite unnecessary. I am fine."

Hiashi shook his head, clearly disagreeing with Neji's claim. "You have missed breakfast for two weeks straight. You always seem distracted and jumpy. Hinata has also told me that you shy away whenever she tries to embrace you."

"..." Neji had hoped his sister wouldn't have noticed. He was often extremely sore after his rendezvous with Kiba, and usually found himself going out of his way to avoid Hinata's unnecessarily enthusiastic hugs.

Hiashi continued, a sad sort of look on his face as he addressed his son. "I am concerned for your health, Neji. If there is something wrong with you, then I would prefer to find out about it now, sooner than later."

Neji bowed shortly, knowing that there was no way he could win this argument. "Alright, father. I will go see Doctor Hatake shortly. Now may I leave?" He said as politely as he could. Of course, the young prince had no intention of paying a visit to the eccentric doctor. _He probably will not remember that he asked me this at dinnertime... and if he does, I'll just say I forgot. _Neji thought to himself.

However, it appeared as if Hiashi wasn't going to fall for the lie that easily. The king studied him evenly, then said, "Genma, Raidou- please escort my son to Kakashi's office."

Neji's mouth nearly dropped open. "Father, _really_-"

"Go." Hiashi waved him off. "And if I find out that you have somehow managed to avoid completing my request, you will be in a _world_ of trouble." He turned away from his son, conveying that the conversation was over. Neji glared at him, and when Genma touched his shoulder, he turned angrily and stormed out of the throne room, his hands balled into fists at his side. The two guards followed him dutifully, intent on carrying out the king's order.

Kotetsu caught up with Neji halfway down the corridor. "You know he is just worried about you." He told the young prince sincerely.

"He treats me like a child." Neji growled in response as they reached the staircase. He went down them as quickly as he could, intent on getting this over with as soon as possible. Kotetsu and the other guards had to put up a small effort to keep up with him.

"Sometimes." Kotetsu responded when the reached the bottom of the long staircase, slightly out of breath. "But would you have really gone, if they were not forced to take you?"

Neji's silence was the only necessary answer. He continued his irate journey down the hall without sparing the guard a second glance.

Kotetsu sighed, looking sadly after the young prince. "I will go tell Shikamaru that you will see him later." He called.

* * *

**- o -**

It wasn't long before they were in front of Kakashi's office. Neji crossed his arms across his chest, refusing to knock; so Genma reached past and did it for him.

"Ah, Prince Neji." The grey-haired doctor said upon opening the door, smiling behind his mask. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"King Hiashi has ordered us to escort him here." Raidou reported. Neji scowled, looking away pointedly.

"Hm. Is that so?" Kakashi asked, though one could tell just by the amused glint in his eye that he had known Neji was coming. "Well, you better come in, then." He stepped aside politely, bowing as he did so.

Throwing one last glare towards the two guards behind him, Neji stepped past the threshold.

Kakashi's office was small yet comfortable. There were bottles and jars of varying colors littered around the room, and three overstuffed chairs that looked as if they were more than a few centuries old. Bookshelves lined all four walls, overflowing with a collection of literature that could rival the castle library's.

"There is nothing wrong with me." Neji told the doctor, hovering by the door.

"Of course there isn't." Kakashi said neutrally, going over to the door and shutting it none-to-gently behind the prince, making Neji jump. "This is just a simple check-up. I do believe you are overdue for one of those, anyway."

Now that the door was shut, the anger that had previously possessed Neji was now waning, only to be replaced by nervousness. It was true, visits to the doctor had never been considered as one of his favorite activities; but now that he had such a large secret, and physical proof of that secret on his body, he was edging closer to the side of terrified. He had prevented the marks on his body from being visible by wearing clothing that concealed them, but he had never once thought that he'd be forced into a position where he had no choice but to reveal them.

_How was I supposed to know that father would send me here?_ He asked himself- but truthfully, he knew that he had given his father more than enough reason to be suspicious of him in the last few weeks.

"I… I do not really have time for that today, doctor." Neji stammered, looking around for another means of escape. "Perhaps next month?"

"Nonsense! It will be over before you know it." Kakashi's one visible eye gleamed as he turned to face the young prince. "Now, please take off your shirt."

Neji paled. He knew that there was no way he could lie about the marks on his body to the eccentric doctor- the man was incredibly intelligent, not just in the ways of medicines, but also in the ways of more… carnal acts as well. The man was notoriously perverted, and Neji knew that if the doctor were to discover his secret, the teasing that would follow would be endless.

Oh, and there was the small matter of his father finding out as well.

Neji backed up against the desk, his hands shaking at his sides. "I… I would rather not, if it is all the same to you, Doctor."

"Ah, but it isn't all the same to me." Kakashi replied cheerfully.

Neji scrambled to think up an excuse. "But… I, um… I have an awful rash. You would not want to see it."

"So there _is_ something wrong with you!" The doctor crowed triumphantly.

"No, I-" Neji tugged down the hem of his shirt, feeling as if the doctor was going to lunge at him any second now. Unfortunately, by doing so, the action made the collar of his shirt slip down ever-so-slightly, revealing a dark bruise on the side of the young prince's neck.

Kakashi's eye widened. "Prince Neji… what is that on your neck?"

"Nothing!" The Hyuuga yelped, drawing his collar up to hide the bruise from sight; however, this action inadvertently cause his shirt to ride up, allowing the still-healing scratches on his stomach to be exposed.

Kakashi stared for a long moment. Neji felt as if he had just sealed his death sentence.

It was all over. Kakashi was going to tell his father about the odd bruises, and he would be locked away in a tower until it was time for him to become king.

"So… you and Shikamaru have already gotten started on the... _consummation_ part." Kakashi said finally, his voice laced with delight.

_What!_

"No, it is not-" Neji started, but then stopped himself. What was he supposed to tell Kakashi? _No, doctor, these marks are not from the man who is courting me, but from a thief who lives in the woods instead. _

Kakashi was gazing at him with an amused expression on his masked face, looking as if he were ready to shoot down any ridiculous explanation Neji offered.

_I cannot possibly allow him to think that these marks are from Shikamaru. _Neji told himself worriedly. _It would be dishonest. I cannot lie about another person. But..._

The door to the room was still locked. There was no way out, and even if Neji somehow managed to get past Kakashi and escape, he would be caught within the hour, and find himself in the 'world of trouble' that his father had promised him. He could try convincing the doctor that he had given himself the marks, but that would almost certainly convince everyone that there _was_ something wrong with him- and besides that, Kakashi was no idiot. The only option left would be to tell Kakashi that he was carrying on an affair with someone else- but what sense would that make? Kakashi would still tell his father, and then Shikamaru would eventually find out, and the whole situation would be almost as disastrous as telling Kakashi the truth. Which was something that Neji want to avoid at all costs.

_...I have no other choice._

The young prince sighed and gave in.

"...Please do not tell anyone." He asked Kakashi, giving up on hiding the marks and allowing the shirt to fall naturally.

"What scandalous news." The doctor clapped his hands gleefully. "This must be the reason why you've been so tired lately."

"Y-yes," Neji admitted. _It is not exactly a lie..._

"Please." The young prince beseeched again, wanting nothing more than to be out of this room. "Shikamaru would be very embarrassed. He is an extremely private person."

"If you insist, my prince. Though I had no idea that Shikamaru would be so… experimental in the bedroom." Kakashi said with a grin. "A man after my own heart."

Neji was unwilling to entertain thoughts of the eccentric doctor's sex life; he shoved those images aside with disgust. "So… you will tell my father that I am alright, then?" He asked hopefully.

"Of course."

"Thank you, Doctor Hatake." Neji straightened out his clothing, the headed for the door; once there, he opened it and peered outside cautiously, then sighed in relief when he saw that Genma and Raidou were nowhere to be found. Though he felt bad about lying about Shikamaru, he still couldn't help but feel as if he had been relinquished of a very large load.

Just as he was about to leave, Kakashi spoke up again.

"Oh, and Prince Neji?"

"Yes?"

"Tell Shikamaru that I have some books he may want to borrow."

Neji shuddered in disgust, and left.

* * *

**- o -**

That night, Neji had every intention of talking to Kiba about his wolves. Really, he did.

But as soon as he had stepped foot into the other male's personal cavern, the bronzed male had been all over him. Neji had been powerless to resist him, and truthfully, he hadn't even wanted to.

Now it was some time later. Neji's heartbeat had finally slowed back to it's normal pace, and the sweat that had coated his body had finally cooled. The only sound in the cave was the rhythmic noise of their breathing. He was sprawled across the other male's chest, idly tracing Kiba's collarbone with his fingers.

The time for him to leave was fast approaching.

He had to stall, to find something that would buy him more time to work up the courage to talk to the other man. He needed to do something soon, too- While riding on Akamaru's back to the cave, Neji had noticed the sky darkening, foretelling the rainfall planned for that night. He knew that the wolf wouldn't want to take Neji back to the castle while it was pouring.

However, when Kiba finally nudged his hip, Neji got up automatically, reaching for his clothing. He got dressed quietly, tossing the other male his own pants when asked.

Once he was fully dressed, Kiba reached up to him as he usually did, in order to engage him in one last kiss before he left. Neji knelt down in front of him, and Kiba curled his hand around the back or the young prince's neck.

The instant their lips were about to meet, the Hyuuga drew back abruptly, an idea striking him.

Kiba gave him a questioning look. Neji just smiled innocently.

Kiba pushed himself up on his forearms, leaning up towards the other male. Again, at the last minute, Neji pulled away, a teasing look in his eyes.

With a growl, Kiba got to his feet. He grabbed Neji by the wrist and shoved him against the wall, much like he did the first night of their tryst. He placed both hands on the wall on either side of the Hyuuga's head and then leaned in for a third time, certain that he would be successful.

He wasn't. Two sharp jabs to his abdomen had Kiba doubling over, clutching his stomach with a wheeze. Neji slipped out from his position between the wall and his lover, a slight smile on his face. He straightened up, surveying Kiba with a regal gaze.

Still grimacing, Kiba looked up.

Neji cocked his head to the side.

Then he turned around and dashed towards the entrance of the cave.

Kiba stared after the other male in slight disbelief as he straightened up slowly. _What is he playing at?_ He wondered, even as his blood started heating up in excitement at the prospect of a chase. He exhaled slowly, then ran after the other male, passing by Akamaru, who gave him a questioning look as he went by.

A raindrop hit Kiba square on the nose as he exited the cave. Several more followed, until it was raining heavily. Neji was nowhere to be seen.

Kiba cursed under his breath. The air was already thick with humidity; and now the rain would make it even more difficult for him to track Neji down by his scent. Although Kiba was nearly an expert at navigating through the forest, it was difficult during the rain. Neji's scent was there, but it was faint; he was only vaguely aware of the direction the Hyuuga had gone in.

He sniffed the air, then started off towards the right, moving swiftly yet carefully, in case the other male's trail made an abrupt change in direction. On several occasions, Neji's scent disappeared altogether, leaving Kiba to stand foolishly in one spot, waiting until it resurfaced. He would wipe the water from his eyes frustratedly, until he caught a whiff of it in some other direction and took off.

After a good twenty minutes of sprinting through the drenched, darkened forest, Kiba was more than a little annoyed. However, the source of his irritation wasn't the long haired prince who had managed to elude him for so long; instead, it was the result of the fact that he himself had yet to _find_ the prince, despite him having the home advantage. He slammed his fist into a tree in anger, then became even more incensed when it caused a heavy barrage of leaves and rainwater to drop down onto him.

At last he spotted something; a flash of a bright, opaline eye peering out from behind a tree roughly around 15 yards away. It widened when it saw Kiba looking, and with a yelp, Neji pushed himself away from the tree and started running as fast as he could on the slippery terrain. An impossibly wide grin spread across Kiba's face, his heart started pounding; and then he took off after the young prince.

Neji gave him a good chase; if it hadn't been clear by the prince's well defined muscles that he was in great shape, then it was certainly obvious now. He was quick, and he could see well in the darkness; however, he had trouble dodging between the trees, over the bushes, and under the branches. This allowed Kiba to catch up to him within a few minutes, and, with a roar of triumph, tackle him to the ground.

Wet dirt and leaves flew everywhere as they skidded a short distance. Kiba thought for sure that Neji would give up once he had tackled him, but once again, the Hyuuga managed to wrestle himself free of the other male's tight grip through a combination of smooth wiggling and cheap strikes to Kiba's pressure points. The tattooed male groaned and released the young prince as the result of a sharp hit to his solar plexus. Neji got up and scrambled away.

Gasping, Kiba drew himself up and sped off after the other male. _This ends now._

Neji got as far as three meters before Kiba was on him again. The bronzed male managed to grab a hold of the back of Neji's shirt; when the young prince managed to slip out of it in one smooth movement, Kiba caught the other male's wrist in his hand and shoved Neji back against a tree as hard as he could. Neji attempted to push him off, but Kiba wouldn't let up; with a low growl, he pinned both of Neji's arms up on either side of his head. He then pressed their bodies so tightly together that Neji couldn't even _breath_ without him feeling it. Their erections rubbed up against each other as rain continued to beat down on their already soaked bodies.

Kiba inhaled Neji's scent deeply; it was the final proof of his triumph, and he was nearly lightheaded as a result of his victory. His eyes snapped open when he realized that, despite their position, the other male was still fighting him.

Kiba leaned in close. "Do you give up?" He panted into the space between their mouths. Neji made a noise of defiance, attempting to struggle out of the other man's grip, but Kiba held him tightly, making it clear who had won. The Hyuuga's eyes flashed. Then a sinful smirk spread across his face. He ground his hips upwards, forcing a groan from the thief's lips. When deep brown eyes met lustrous pearl ones, the young prince shrugged as if he _hadn't _just spent a good forty-five minutes leading the thief on a chase throughout the woods.

"Okay."

Kiba snapped. He leaned in and captured Neji's mouth brutally, reveling in the way that Neji's lips parted immediately, as if his compliance was Kiba's reward. They kissed as if the world was ending, Cool raindrops slid down their faces and into their mouths but neither man noticed.

Neji unbuttoned his pants, arching up into the kiss. Kiba shoved Neji's hands away, then yanked Neji's pants down his hips. Neji stepped out of them as they ate hungrily at each other's mouths. Adrenaline pulsed through their veins as they touched each other, uncaring of the water and dirt that coated their bodies.

Neji wrapped his arms around Kiba's neck, burying his hand in shaggy brown locks and guiding the other boy's lips down to his neck. Kiba took to the silent invitation with enthusiasm, attacking the prince's throat with his mouth.

The bronzed man gathered the young prince up in his arms, pulling Neji's strong legs around his waist. He pushed him back against the tree even harder, and Neji arched up, grinding his erection against Kiba's abdominal muscles. The kiss grew sloppy but no less passionate as the tanned male lined his erection up with the other male's entrance.

Kiba's cock breached his entrance in one smooth thrust, forcing a choked scream from Neji's throat. He held on to Kiba's broad shoulders for dear life, his fingers threaded tightly in his chestnut hair.

No words were exchanged. The only sounds were that of their harsh breaths and low moans. Kiba's hands were fused to Neji's hips, thrusting up and pulling him down at the same time, making Neji almost delirious with pleasure.

It was awful and beautiful all at once. His legs ached from running, he was dirty and wet and he was pretty sure that his shoulder blades were bleeding from every time they scraped up against the bark of the tree, but Neji had never felt more _alive_. His heart was pounding so hard he was sure that it was seconds away from stopping altogether, but still he held on, reveling in the ecstasy of Kiba using his body in the most carnal of ways.

The rain, the bark against his back, Kiba's cock hammering mercilessly against his prostate, the thief's lips and teeth on his neck, his mouth- when Neji came, it felt so good it was nearly painful. His vision flashed white as he arched back against the tree. A sharp pain in his shoulder made him come back to reality- Kiba had sunk his teeth into Neji's flesh with a deep groan, emptying himself deep within the young prince's body.

* * *

**- o -**

It was pitch black in the cave when they returned. The lantern light had died out while they had been outside, forcing them to blindly stumble their way to the inner cavern. Once inside Kiba's quarters, the tattooed male tossed a blanket at the young prince, who used it to wrap around his soaking wet body. The thief himself had shaken most of his body dry just inside the entrance to the cave.

Kiba busied himself with the difficult task of trying to build a fire in the center of the cave in the dark, using wood that had been previously accumulated. Neji sat atop the pile of furs, naked save for the blanket wrapped around his body, listening to the sounds of the rain beating down on the cave and trying to calm his racing heart.

It had been mutually agreed, on the way back to the cave; that Neji would be spending the night there; there was no way he could have gotten back to the castle in one piece by himself, and Akamaru refused to go out in the storm. Neji had successfully bought himself enough time to approach the subject of the attacks with the other male; the only problem that remained was _how_ he was going to do it.

Fears and doubts plague his mind. A hundred different scenarios raced through his mind at what Kiba's response could be, and all of them ended badly. Deep down, Neji didn't really expect Kiba to comply with his request. It was too presumptuous, too bold- they weren't even _friends_, for goodness sake. How could he ask Kiba to stop his wolves from attacking people, and actually expect him to listen?

But Neji knew he had to at least _try_.

"Kiba." Neji's voice, soft but clear, broke the comfortable silence that had settled over them. The darkness gave Neji the confidence to approach the subject- he knew that if there were any light in the cave, he wouldn't have been able to finally utter his next words. "I must ask you something."

The other male didn't look up from his task. "What?"

_I will start out slowly for now. _The young Prince thought. He took a deep breath, then asked one of the questions that had been haunting him ever since his first encounter with the thief.

"Why- why do you steal from people?"

Kiba raised an eyebrow, looking up from the two sticks he was rubbing together. "I've never stolen anything in my life."

This was not the answer the young prince had been expecting. "You are lying." Neji said, frowning.

"Everything here-" Kiba gestured to the ever present pile of stolen riches he kept on the floor, despite the fact that Neji couldn't see them. "Was taken by my wolves. I didn't steal any of it."

"You are still a-"

"I'm still a _what_?" Kiba's tone had turned decidedly hostile. Neji was reminded of the first night he had met the other man, and thought it best to pull back a little.

"Your wolves…" He started nimbly. "…They steal and hurt the people of my kingdom. You have to stop what you are- what you_ allow_ them to do."

Kiba snorted just as the spark caught, spreading across the other logs. The fire burst into life in front of him, illuminating most of the cave, save for a few dark, shadowy corners. "Why should I?" He asked, turning to face his companion.

"Because I am asking you to." Neji said softly, his ivory eyes flicking upward to meet Kiba's gaze evenly.

Kiba stared at the young prince for a few seconds, then turned away, crossing his arms over his chest. It may have just been the light from the fire, but Neji could have sworn Kiba blushed for a brief second.

"They wouldn't listen to me even if I did." Kiba muttered.

"Why not?"

"Because they don't take orders from me."

Neji tilted his head to the side. "But are you not their leader?"

"No." Kiba dusted off his hands, not bothering to meet the other male's eyes. "Akamaru is their leader."

"You must have _some_ sort of control over them." Neji was trying his best to remain patient, but Kiba's nonchalant attitude was beginning to irritate him. Did Kiba not understand how serious the situation was? "Otherwise they would not steal for you."

"I promise them food and protection. In exchange, they get things for me." Kiba shrugged. "It doesn't matter how."

"It _does_ matter!" The young prince argued, his eyes narrowing. "I cannot sit idly by while the people of my kingdom get attacked and robbed. Do you realize how many problems you have caused?"

"It's not my fault that you can't keep your villagers safe." Kiba scoffed.

Neji glowered, finally reaching the end of his rope. "If you were not a thief in the first place, then there would be no need for me to keep them safe!"

Kiba was on his feet in less than two seconds, an angry look on his face. "What did you just call me?"

This time, the other man didn't back down. "A _thief_. A low, dirty criminal who is too frightened to stand up to a pack of _wild animals_." Later on, Neji would feel bad about including Akamaru in his description; but for now, he was too angry to care. He glared up at Kiba, still clutching the blanket around his shoulders.

"Watch what you say to me." Kiba growled, suddenly centimeters away from Neji's face, his brown eyes blazing with anger.

"You should watch what you say to _me_." Neji glared back. "I could have told my father your location any day I wanted. We have been doing this for nearly a month, and yet you are still in the same place. You should be grateful that, instead of_ having you arrested_, I am giving you the option of changing your ways."

"Giving me the _option_?" Kiba snarled. Without warning, a bronzed hand shot out and grabbed a hold of the paler man's neck. Despite the circumstances, Neji couldn't stop the thrill of lust that shot through his body; however, he didn't allow his facial expression, nor his ire, to waver. "You might be some sort of important prince out there, but in here you are _powerless._ I should kill you for even _suggesting_ you'd sell me out to your guards."

Neji tilted his head up. His eyes possessed a steeliness that Kiba had never seen in them before.

"So kill me, then."

Kiba's grip tightened around Neji's throat.

"Don't push me." He threatened.

"Kill me, then." Neji repeated, narrowing his eyes.

They stared at each other for what seemed like eternity. Finally, with an angry growl, Kiba released the other male roughly, then stormed off to the other side of the cave. "_Fuck,_ Neji! What do you want me to do?"

Neji released a soft breath he hadn't realized he was holding; the threat of his life aside, he couldn't help but feel sort of… _warm_ about the fact that apparently, to Kiba, his life wasn't as disposable as he had thought. "Just… tell them to stop. I am sure that you have acquired more than enough goods to live comfortably. There is no need for this to carry on any more."

"It isn't that simple." The other male said frustratedly.

"Why not?"

"We've been doing this for _years_. I can't just tell them to stop. They'll get suspicious."

"Suspicious of what?" Neji probed gently.

"Of _me_."

"Why?"

"Because they don't trust humans!" Kiba yelled, whirling around to face Neji once more. "If I tell them not to hurt people, they'll think that I- that I've gone _soft_, or that I'm siding against them! The only reason why they've accepted _you_ so willingly is because Akamaru told them to."

The fire popped loudly as Neji watched the other male's chest heave. He was surprised, to say the least, at this new revelation- that reigning in his wolves wasn't as easy as giving them a simple command. The young prince's heart sank down to his stomach as he realized what this truly meant. If Kiba couldn't control his wolves, then the only way he would be able to keep his people safe was if… if Kiba…

"Then..." His mouth felt dry as he forced himself to say the next words. "…I guess you will just have to leave, then."

Kiba stared. "What?"

"That is what you do, is it not? You stay in one place for a few days or so, commit some robberies, and then move on, correct?" Neji said, not allowing his voice to betray how he really felt about the prospect of the other male leaving. "So if you will- if you not comply with my request, I will… I will have to ask you to go somewhere else."

The Hyuuga was surprised to see a look of hurt flash in the other male's normally feral eyes. "You want to stop seeing me?"

"Of _course_ not!" Neji told the other man frustratedly. "You are the only-" He cut himself off abruptly, realizing just in time that he had been about to say something that he might regret.

Kiba froze. "I'm the only _what_?"

"Nothing." How could Neji admit out loud that Kiba was the only person who made his blood run hot? The only person he could go to for something he wasn't even supposed to be partaking in before marriage? How, after these last few weeks, Neji had grown to completely trust the other male with his body? How Neji wouldn't be able to stand it if Kiba left and his life went back to the way it had been?

He turned away from the tanned brunet. What other options were left? He directed his attention to the flickering fire in the center of the room, wanting to lose himself in the dancing flames and not come out until he found a solution.

After a few long minutes, he felt Kiba sit down on the furs next to him. The brunet sighed heavily, running a tired hand through his shaggy brown hair.

"I…" He started hesitantly, as if this were the first time he had ever backed down in his life. "...I will see what I can do. About the other wolves."

Neji stared at the bronzed male, unsure if he should believe him. Kiba met his gaze head on, nothing but raw honesty shining through in his dark eyes.

Then, a warm smile broke out across Neji's face, letting Kiba know exactly how much his words had meant to him. "Thank you."

Kiba fought the urge to smile back. "Yeah." He said, raising his arm and beckoning the other man into his embrace. Neji complied, shifting closer to the other male, intent on leeching off of Kiba's body heat. Smile still present on his face, Neji closed his eyes, feeling incredibly accomplished.

Kiba would tell the wolves to back off. The attacks would stop, and his father would have no need to worry anymore. Eventually, when he told Shikamaru that he didn't want to marry him, the other male would leave and he would have more time to spend with Kiba. Maybe some nights he could even sneak Kiba into the castle...

...But how long would that be able to go on? Shikamaru or not, he would still have to get married some day. And despite the fact that he probably wouldn't be attracted to his wife, as king he couldn't commit adultery. And what about Kiba? Would he be willing to live in the same cave for God knows how long?

A frown marred Neji's otherwise serene expression. Just when he thought he had finally gotten things under control, another hurdle sprung up in his path.

"Stop thinking so hard." Kiba murmured fuzzily into his ear. He had been silent for so long that Neji had almost been sure he was drifting off to sleep- but now he was grateful for the fact that the other male was still there with him.

"I was just-"

"I don't care. You can worry about it later." The thief yawned.

"Why do you live here?" The spontaneous question came unbidden from his lips, and Neji nearly wanted to take it back as soon as he had said it. However, his curiosity got the better of him, and he found himself gazing at Kiba expectantly.

The other male leaned back, exhaling slowly. His hesitation was obvious, but Neji was sure that if the other man had been any less relaxed, he would have immediately clammed up.

Neji pressed forward. "Where are these from?" He asked, stroking a finger down the triangle mark on the other male's cheek. "And your scars?" Truthfully, his newfound boldness most likely came from the fact that he had already asked Kiba the more... heavier questions. He was sure that a few more couldn't hurt.

Kiba shifted away from him with a sigh, but didn't put up a fight when Neji followed the movement. He crawled onto the other male's lap, snuggling up close to Kiba's chest, a pleased smile gracing his lips when he felt Kiba wrap an arm around his waist.

"I want to know everything about you." Neji told him honestly, kissing the bronzed man on the neck. "_Everything_."

"Neji..."

The young prince ignored his companion's protest. He took Kiba's chin in his hand and drew him into a soft kiss, far gentler that any of the ones they had ever shared. He soon found himself flat on his back, with Kiba hovering over him, responding tenderly to the kiss. The scrapes on his back stung as they rubbed across the furs, but he paid them no mind.

They parted slowly, staring into each other's eyes as the dancing flames cast shadows on their faces.

"Kiba…" Neji said softly. "…_please_."

It was the sincerity in those wide pearlescent eyes that finally did Kiba in. Reluctantly, the larger man rolled off of the young prince and onto his back. Neji curled into him, placing a comforting hand on his chest.

Kiba closed his eyes and began speaking.

"I was born into a gypsy clan called Inuzuka. My father was a sailor. I've never met him. He spent one night with my ma, then went back out to sea.

The rest of the Inuzuka clan was furious when they found out my mom was pregnant with an outsider's child. They refused to acknowledge me as part of the family. When I was five, she went behind their back and had the clan markings tattooed on my face, which enraged them even more.

My ma died when I was twelve. The clan abandoned me in a forest the next day- they didn't even wait until after her funeral.

For two years I tried to enter into normal society. No one let me stay with them for more than a few days. They would see the marks on my face and not want anything to do with me. I would do odd jobs in different villages- mostly ones that had harbors nearby." Kiba opened his eyes, emitting a short, humorless laugh. "I used to wish that my father would come find me and take me out to sea with him.

When I was fifteen, I had been sleeping in the forest one night when I was woken up by hunters. They were looking for wolves for their pelts, and they had slaughtered a whole family of them- except for the youngest, which was still a pup, because he didn't have much fur. I saved him and named him Akamaru.

After watching how brutally Akamaru's family had been murdered, I gave up trying to be a part of human society. I knew that I couldn't fit in anywhere, so I stopped trying. I did everything I could to raise Akamaru properly. When he was fully grown, he started stealing for me. I never asked him to- he just wanted to repay me for taking care of him.

The other wolves came later. They've all been abandoned as well, and Akamaru accepts them into his pack without hesitation."

Kiba's story ended there; it seemed as if the other man had nothing more to say. The crackling of the fire was the only sound that could be heard within the dim cave.

Neji was nearly gaping at the other male, who was gazing up at the ceiling, seemingly deep in thought. The young prince was shocked by the other male's story. He had never suspected that Kiba had such a tragic past behind him.

For the first time, Neji was looking at the other male as a _person_ instead of just a sex partner. His throat felt dry as he absorbed Kiba's history, unused to hearing about such hardships- and especially not in relation to people he knew. He felt even worse when he realized that he had once been _envious _of the other male- having originally mistook Kiba's alienation from society for freedom.

_How awful._ Neji thought to himself, his heart feeling as if it were being compressed by something. He had lain quietly throughout the entire tale, and now that it was over he wasn't sure of what he should say or do. Yes, he was the one who had asked Kiba to tell him, but he had no idea it would have been that sorrowful.

But then again, what had he expected? Kiba's life couldn't have been all sunshine and flowers if he was living in cave after cave, stealing from strangers to survive.

Neji cleared his throat, determined to prevent the weighty silence from becoming an awkward one. "What do you do during the day?" He asked, making sure his voice didn't waver.

"Sometimes I go into town to sell goods I got from a previous village, or to buy clothes when I need them. Mostly, I hunt with the other 're the only person I see on a regular basis." Kiba answered indifferently, still looking up at the ceiling of the cave.

Neji felt his heart clench as a fresh wave of pity coursed through him. Having little to no contact with other people seemed like a terrible existence to him, and he honestly couldn't believe that Kiba lived his life in that manner.

He studied the other male's profile. Kiba really was gorgeous- deep brown eyes, a sharp nose and a strong jawline. His hair was messy but that only made him more endearing. _It is such a shame that he has to live life like this._ He thought. _If he were a nobleman, or even something common, like a blacksmith or a merchant… everyone would want to be with him._

Kiba glanced over at Neji. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you feel sorry for me." Kiba said firmly. "I don't mind living like this. In fact, I prefer it. Humans are savages, so full of greed and hate. I'm glad I don't have to deal with them."

"Not all of them…" Neji tried hesitantly.

"Most of them." Kiba's tone left no room for an argument.

Neji shifted closer to him, placing a hand on Kiba's bronzed shoulder. "You don't have to live like this." He said softly. "I could… I could get you a job in the castle."

"Doing what? Gardening?" Kiba snorted.

"No! Just… something other than this…"

"I already told you, Neji, I don't want to be a part of society- and especially not _your _society. Look at what it's done for you."

Neji frowned, somewhat taken aback at the unexpected verbal attack. He couldn't see anything wrong with his society. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well… you obviously wouldn't be here with me right now if everything was all right for you up at that big castle you live in."

Neji closed his mouth. To himself, he grudgingly admitted that Kiba was correct. The tattooed male clearly provided something for Neji that he couldn't find anywhere else- and it wasn't just the sex, either. Kiba was an escape, a way to get away from the monotony and the responsibilities of being a prince.

The other male noticed the young prince's silence, and a smile tugged at his lips. Kiba would be lying if he said that he wasn't equally as curious about the other male. He would never admit it, but ever since he was young, he had always had a fascination with royalty. Perhaps it was because he had been taught early on that no matter how much he tried, he would never be a part of the highest social class in the world. There would be no marrying into a royal family, no surprise inheritance, nothing of the sort for the son of a gypsy and a sailor. He would most likely never even get to see the inside of a castle, unless he was being held in the dungeon.

So how was it that he now had a genuine prince laying next to him, covered in his marks and wrapped up in his blanket? One that was amazingly gorgeous, adventurous in bed, and well-liked by Akamaru? None of Kiba's previous bed partners, few as they had been, had ever taken this well to his best friend. But then again, none of his previous bed partners had been looking for anything more than a brief encounter with the "exotic stranger" who was only in town for a couple of days.

He hadn't wanted to tell Neji about his history because he thought it would make the other boy less attracted to him. Of course, he had the marks of his clan permanently tattooed on his face, but telling Neji of his _father_, of how he had been _abandoned_… those were a whole other story. He had been afraid that Neji would be appalled by his history, not because it was sad, but because it had shown how weak he used to be be. He thought that the powerful prince, who would eventually be king someday, would laugh at his silly dreams about his father, would sneer at him for just giving up on society and living as an animal.

But Neji had done none of those things. Neji was still pressed up close to Kiba, looking up at him with those lovely eyes of his… and all Kiba wanted to do was get lost in them. Kiba wanted to get lost in _him_.

So he pressed onward, much like Neji had done only minutes beforehand. "So what are you running from?"

"Nothing." Neji told him grumpily, before abruptly turning over and facing the fire once more, unhappy about the fact that the tables had turned. Kiba was not deterred.

"Come on…" The bronzed male coaxed gently. "You made me tell you about my life…"

"I did not _make_ you."

"Yes you did." Kiba argued. "You… coerced me."

"So?"

"So…" Kiba pressed up close behind Neji, wrapping his arms around the other male's trim waist. He nudged the other man's still-damp hair aside with his nose, then pressed a lingering kiss to the smooth curve of Neji's shoulder. One hand went about caressing the flat planes of the Hyuuga's abdominal muscles. "…Maybe I should do the same."

Neji shuddered. "Kiba…" He groaned. As much as he appreciated and even welcomed the touches, he really didn't think he had it in him to go another round.

"Hmm?" Kiba continued to lay deep, sensual kisses along Neji's neck, shoulder and upper back. His other hand slipped beneath Neji's arm and traveled up to the paler man's throat. He possessively caressed the dark bruises on the other male's neck with his thumb. Neji sighed, teetering dangerously close to giving in to the other male's ministrations.

A soft bite on his throat, right where the collar of his shirt would fall, made Neji start. His mind briefly flashed to the time under the tree with Shikamaru, when the other boy had almost seen...

_Oh._

"I am… getting married soon."

Kiba stilled.

"I am sorry." Neji said, laughing awkwardly as a light blush rose to his cheeks. "Compared to what you have gone through, I must sound-"

"When?" Kiba asked gruffly. He withdrew his hand from Neji's body.

"What?"

"When are you getting married?"

Neji was briefly tempted to turn around and see what sort of expression Kiba had across his face, but decided against it. "I am not sure. I am not even formally engaged yet- but I do not know how much longer I can avoid it."

Kiba exhaled against the back of Neji's neck, warming the skin there with his breath. "Is she pretty, at least?"

Neji closed his eyes. "It is not a she."

Kiba was silent.

"He is my closest friend. I do not want to marry him, but I do not wish to hurt him, either."

Kiba resumed his previous activities without a single word about how he was feeling. Neji thought it was better that way. The feel of Kiba's lips on his skin was oddly comforting.

"If your heart does not belong to him, then you are already hurting him." Kiba murmured against his shoulder.

Neji allowed the other male's words to sink in. With startling clarity, he realized that Kiba was right. He had never thought that Shikamaru's courtship would go on as long as it did; but here they were, edging closer and closer to a one-month anniversary, and the younger male was showing no signs of losing interest.

He knew that he would have to tell Shikamaru that he didn't want to marry him as soon as possible. The charade had gone on for far too long.

Just as he had done earlier that day with Kiba, Neji resolved to speak to Shikamaru as soon as possible.

A small laugh escaped him, followed by a few more chuckles when he realized that it had taken the advice of a thief to make him realize that what he was doing to Shikamaru was wrong.

"What's so funny?" Kiba asked, dragging his canines down the back of Neji's neck. The other male shifted again, turning back around to face his companion. Kiba automatically wrapped his arms around his companion's waist, then kissed him softly on the forehead.

"How did you get so wise?" Neji asked the other male with a smile. "And here I thought you were only good for one thing."

Kiba grinned, pulling the young prince closer. "Us demons are smarter than you think."

Neji laughed, which turned into a moan halfway through as Kiba expertly captured his lips once more.

The rain beat down steadily on the outside of the cave, but the two men paid it no mind.


End file.
